DHA encapsulation profoundly modifies its metabolism and physiological impact

The aim of encapsulation is to increase DHA enrichment in the brain and heart, to promote its metabolism, and thus improve its health impact. Encapsulated DHA oil is distributed in smaller lipid droplets, making it more accessible to digestive enzymes and improving lipolytic efficiency.

STLO developed a strategy for encapsulating DHA with whey proteins. The latter was then incorporated into an “omelette”-type food matrix, and offered to model animals. DHA encapsulated and vectorized in the food is released earlier in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to profound changes in the profile of metabolic derivatives in organs (brain, heart, plasma) and beneficial physiological effects.
Four results emerge from this work:
- DHA encapsulation significantly altered the metabolism of fatty acids into their oxylipin and endocannabinoid derivatives. Thus, a stable fatty acid profile can conceal highly contrasting metabolic derivative profiles,
- to our knowledge, this is the first time that such lipid mediators have been quantified in foods,

- the particular experimental design led to remarkable DHA levels in the brain never before observed in an interventional study (24% of total fatty acids),
- DHA encapsulation promoted animal growth by increasing kibble intake. This effect would appear to be synergistic with the partial fasting implemented prior to consumption of the omelette.

In the future, this model could be explored in the context of infant milk supplementation to gain in nutritional functionality.

Read more
- Wang, J.; de Figueiredo Furtado, G.; Monthean, N.; Dupont, D.; Pédrono, F.; Madadlou, A. CaCl2 Supplementation of Hydrophobised Whey Proteins: Assessment of Protein Particles and Consequent Emulsions. International Dairy Journal 2020, 110, 104815, doi:10.1016/j.idairyj.2020.104815.
- Wang, J.; Ossemond, J.; Jardin, J.; Briard-Bion, V.; Henry, G.; Le Gouar, Y.; Ménard, O.; Lê, S.; Madadlou, A.; Dupont, D.; et al. Encapsulation of DHA Oil with Heat-Denatured Whey Protein in Pickering Emulsion Improves Its Bioaccessibility. Food Res Int 2022, 162, 112112, doi:10.1016/j.foodres.2022.112112.
- Wang, J.; Ossemond, J.; Le Gouar, Y.; Boissel, F.; Dupont, D.; Pédrono, F. Encapsulation of Docosahexaenoic Acid Oil Substantially Improves the Oxylipin Profile of Rat Tissues. Front Nutr 2021, 8, 812119, doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.812119.