Canola Proteins Used as Co-Emulsifiers with Phospholipids Influence Oil Oxidability, Enzymatic Lipolysis, and Fatty Acid Absorption in Rats

The objective of this study is to formulate and characterize oil-in-water emulsions with plant-derived ingredients only, that is, proteins extracted from canola oil bodies, used as co-emulsifiers with a canola lecithin, and to assess their suitability for food applications. Using the protein extract increases the chemical stability of rapeseed oil emulsions toward oxidation, based on the delay in conjugated diene formation under accelerated storage conditions, and favors pancreatic lipase activity. Bioaccessibility of rapeseed fatty acids is compared in lymph-duct-cannulated rats fed oil or emulsion. Fatty acid absorption by the intestine is increased by 78% when the oil is emulsified with canola proteins as co-emulsifier: 28.7 mg mL(-1)versus 16.1 mg mL(-1)for oil (p < 0.05). In vitro lipolysis results are in overall agreement with fatty acid absorption in vivo. Practical Applications: Results obtained for rapeseed oil emulsified with canola proteins and phospholipids suggest that increased bioaccessibility of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids could be offered in vegan food products.