Browsing by Subject "Xylans"

Vitamin D-fortified foods are increasingly popular, but there is a growing demand for fortification systems that do not rely on animal products to accommodate the rise in veganism. Recent technological advancements have demonstrated that emulsion delivery systems can improve the oral bioavailability of vitamin D. However, emulsions are inherently unstable, and stabilizers are necessary to maintain their stability over time. Xylans has been identified as a promising emulsion stabilizer, but variations in its chemical composition may affect its stabilizing ability. This study aimed to assess the physical and chemical stability of emulsions stabilized with xylans, thereby determining their feasibility for use in vitamin D-fortified foods. Physical stability was evaluated by monitoring droplet size variation and dispersion stability, while chemical stability was determined by measuring the concentration of encapsulated vitamin D using gas chromatography–flame ionization detection (GC–FID) after saponification and purification. The results showed that spray-dried extracts (sGX), carboxymethylated derivatives (CMGX), and ethanol precipitation (eGX) derived from birch xylans, obtained through the PHWE method, were effective emulsion stabilizers and maintained their stability during storage. Emulsion-based systems have also been found to protect vitamin D from degradation. The stability of emulsions was found to be influenced by the composition and nature of the xylans, with sGX and eGX being more stable due to the retention of the natural lignin and acetyl structure, while CMGX was the least stable. Although the emulsion system was successful in protecting vitamin D3, an increase in vitamin D3 concentration was observed during the experiment, and further research is needed to determine the reasons behind this. This study provides valuable insights into the stabilizing ability of xylans and serves as a guide for the development of xylans and vitamin D-fortified foods.