Dual role of polyglycerol vitamin E succinate in emulsions: An efficient antioxidant emulsifier

alpha-Tocopherol, as an oil-soluble vitamin with strong antioxidant activity. It is the most naturally abundant and biologically active form of vitamin E in humans. In this study, a novel emulsifier (PG20-VES) was synthesized by attaching hydrophilic twenty-polyglycerol (PG20) to hydrophobic vitamin E succinate (VES). This emulsifier was shown to have a relatively low critical micelle concentration (CMC = 3.2 mu g/mL). The antioxidant activities and emulsification properties of PG20-VES were compared with those of a widely used commercial emulsifier: D-alpha-Tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS). PG20-VES exhibited a lower interfacial tension, stronger emulsifying capacity and similar antioxidant property to TPGS. An in vitro digestion study showed that lipid droplets coated by PG20-VES were digested under simulated small intestine conditions. This study showed that PG20-VES is an efficient antioxidant emulsifier, which may have applications in the formulation of bioactive delivery systems in the food, supplement, and pharmaceutical industries.

Automated summary

In this study, a novel emulsifier (PG20-VES) was synthesized by attaching hydrophilic twenty-polyglycerol (PG20) to hydrophobic vitamin E succinate (VES). Compared with the widely used commercial emulsifier TPGS, PG20-VES showed a lower critical micelle concentration, lower interfacial tension, stronger emulsifying capacity, and similar antioxidant property. In vitro digestion study demonstrated that lipid droplets coated by PG20-VES were digested under simulated small intestine conditions. This study highlights the potential of PG20-VES as an efficient antioxidant emulsifier for bioactive delivery systems in various industries.