José Reina-Manuel

Micronutrient deficiencies, particularly of vitamins A, D₃, and folic acid, remain a significant global health challenge despite established dietary recommendations. This study proposes a novel fortification strategy using advanced emulsion technology to enrich extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) with these essential micronutrients. Water-in-oil (W/O) and double oil-in-water-in-oil (O/W/O) emulsions were designed to enable the simultaneous encapsulation of lipophilic (A and D₃) and hydrophilic (folic acid) vitamins within a single functional food matrix. Vitamin concentrations were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with a photodiode detector (PDA) to evaluate retention during processing. Bioaccessibility was assessed by subjecting vitamin-enriched emulsions to a standardized in vitro digestion model simulating gastrointestinal conditions. Results showed significantly higher incorporation efficiency in the O/W/O system compared to conventional W/O emulsions, regardless of the physicochemical properties of the vitamins. Both lipophilic (A and D₃) and hydrophilic (folic acid) compounds exhibited a satisfactory retention, highlighting the versatility of the double-emulsion approach. This study represents the first report of simple and multiple oil-continuous emulsions that simultaneously incorporate vitamins A, D₃, and folic acid, providing preliminary evidence of their stability and gastrointestinal release under simulated digestion conditions.

Micronutrient deficiencies, particularly of vitamins A, D₃, and B₉, remain a significant global health challenge despite established dietary recommendations. This study proposes a novel fortification strategy using advanced emulsion technology to enrich extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) with these essential micronutrients. Water-in-oil (W/O) and double oil-in-water-in-oil (O/W/O) emulsions were designed to enable the simultaneous encapsulation of lipophilic (A and D₃) and hydrophilic (B₉) vitamins within a single functional food matrix. Vitamin concentrations were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with a photodiode detector (PDA) to evaluate retention during processing. Bioaccessibility was assessed by subjecting vitamin-enriched emulsions to a standardized in vitro digestion model simulating gastrointestinal conditions. Results showed significantly higher incorporation efficiency in the O/W/O system compared to conventional W/O emulsions, regardless of the physicochemical properties of the vitamins. Both lipophilic (A and D₃) and hydrophilic (B₉) compounds exhibited satisfactory retention, highlighting the versatility of the double-emulsion approach. This study represents the first report of simple and multiple oil-continuous emulsions that simultaneously incorporate vitamins A, D₃, and B₉, providing preliminary evidence of their stability and gastrointestinal release under simulated digestion conditions.

Background/Objectives: Olive oil is valued for its health benefits, largely due to its bioactive compounds, including hydroxytyrosol (HTyr) and oleuropein (OLE), which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cardioprotective properties. However, many of these compounds are lost during the production process. This study developed a functional olive oil-derived product using water-in-oil emulsions (W/O) to incorporate commercial extracts rich in HTyr and OLE. Methods: HTyr and OLE were encapsulated in a W/O emulsion to preserve their bioactivity. The encapsulation efficiency (EE) was evaluated, and the performance of the emulsion was tested using an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion model. Bioaccessibility was measured by calculating the recovery percentage of HTyr and OLE during the digestion stages. Results: The results showed that OLE exhibited higher EE (88%) than HTyr (65%). During digestion, HTyr exhibited a gradual and controlled release, with bioaccessibility exceeding 80% in the gastric phase and a maintained stability throughout the intestinal phase. In contrast, OLE displayed high bioaccessibility in the gastric phase but experienced a notable decrease during the intestinal phase. Overall, the W/O emulsion provided superior protection and stability for both compounds, particularly for the secoiridoids, compared to the non-emulsified oil. Conclusions: The W/O emulsion improved the encapsulation and bioaccessibility of HTyr and OLE, constituting a promising method for enriching olive oil with bioactive phenolic compounds. Therefore, this method could enhance olive oil’s health benefits by increasing the availability of these bioactive compounds during digestion, offering the potential for the development of fortified foods.