Reactive air plasma treatment enhances extraction yield and bioactive anti-aging properties of wheat lipids

Few studies have investigated reactive air plasma (ReAP) treatment to enhance wheat lipid extraction and evaluate its potential anti-aging properties. Here, the effects of ReAP treatment on wheat lipids were assessed with a focus on improving lipid yield and bioactivity. Wheat samples were treated with a surface dielectric barrier discharge (sDBD) for 0, 5, 10, and 30 min, with the 10-min treatment yielding the highest lipid extraction using the Folch method, increasing from 1.78% in the control to 2.97%. Elastase and tyrosinase inhibitory activities of the ReAP-treated wheat lipids increased from 24.62% to 61.79% in the control to 34.67% and 72.76%, respectively, while the moisturizing effect was highest at 200 µg/mL combined with 10 min of ReAP treatment. Additionally, GC-MS analysis revealed that palmitic and linoleic acid concentrations increased by 5.29-fold and 8.34-fold, respectively, compared to the untreated control. Microscopic analysis revealed that plasma treatment disrupted the wheat surface structure and reduced surface roughness. In conclusion, ReAP treatment enhanced lipid yield, enzyme inhibition, and moisturizing activity, indicating the potential of wheat lipids as cosmetic ingredients and warranting further animal or clinical studies and verification using scaled-up plasma systems.