Recent advances in the composition, extraction and food applications of plant-derived oleosomes

Background: Oleosomes, widely found in plants, mammals, and microorganisms to act as an energy reservoir for future needs, are a micronor submicron-sized system of oil droplets surrounded by a specialized membrane of protein-phospholipid mixtures designed through natural evolution. Recently, interest in the plant-derived oleosomes has rapidly increased in food industry, since these unique natural emulsions are a safe alternative to synthetically engineered oil droplets. Scope and approach: More and more researches have focused on the plant-based oleosomes due to attractive advantages, such as easy extraction, high yield recovery, and safe use in food products to satisfy consumers' demands for all natural products. This review provides the latest information on the structure and composition, and extraction techniques of plant-derived oleosomes. The stability characteristics of oleosomes during storage and processing, and their emerging food applications as well as future perspectives are discussed. Key findings and conclusions: Recent studies have reported the alternative extraction techniques (e.g., twin-screw press-, enzyme assisted-, and ultrasound assisted extractions) to obtain native intact oleosomes from oleaginous plant materials, which contain triacylglycerols, phospholipids, distinguished proteins (e.g., oleosin, caleosin, and steroleosin), and some minor bioactive components. By careful control of the stability characteristics such as pH, ionic strength, and temperature, the extracted oleosomes have shown promising applications to inhibit lipid oxidation, encapsulate bioactive compounds (e.g., volatile flavors and hydrophobic nutraceuticals), prepare imitation milk products (e.g., milk, cheese, yogurt, and mayonnaise), and fabricate edible functional films.