Association colloids in flaxseed oil: Supramolecular platforms for targeted antioxidant delivery

Endogenous phospholipids in bulk oil spontaneously self-assemble into reverse micelles (RMs), serving as natural nanoplatforms for interfacial molecular delivery. While these association colloids traditionally accelerate lipid oxidation, we repurpose them as green vehicles to enhance the efficacy of plant-derived sesamol (SOH), eliminating dependency on synthetic antioxidants. A multi-technique approach has demonstrated that RMs serve as targeted delivery platforms for interfacial antioxidants, enhancing the efficacy of SOH and reducing RO•, ROO•, and R• by over 82.01 %, 82.00 %, and 73.99 %, respectively. Meanwhile, complementary interfacial fluorescence probing, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations revealed the interactions between SOH and the hydrophilic/hydrophobic interface of the phospholipid, and interfacial migration driven by van der Waals and Coulomb interactions. The enhancement effect of RMs on antioxidant activity of SOH was attributed to the spontaneous solubilization without energy input and the migration of SOH from flaxseed oil phase to reactive interfaces and water core of RMs. This colloidal strategy leverages endogenous components to create self-assembled, solvent-free delivery systems, significantly reducing required antioxidant dosage while offering a sustainable solution aligned with green chemistry principles for improving oxidative stability in food systems.