Interface engineering of plant oil body for an innovative food ingredient: A review

Background

Plant oil body (POB) is discrete subcellular organelles for storing lipids in seeds, designed by natural evolution of the plant body. The phospholipid-protein composite interface layer wraps around the oil core, which resists extreme changes in physical and chemical environment, maintaining relative stability. Despite the widespread use of POB as food ingredients in recent years, the variations in the composition across different sources, the mechanisms regulating the interface, and the interfacial behaviors contributing to the multi-phase system remain inadequately understood. Consequently, a systematic and theoretical review of the recent advances in interfacial engineering of POB for better performance in food systems is demanded.

Scope and approach

This paper reviews the effects of POB from various sources, including woody and herbaceous plants, on interfacial engineering, structural characteristics, and application performance in food systems. The discussion includes the reinforcement or degradation of the interface layer of POB through various types of interface engineering strategies, aiming at customizing the production of POB-based food ingredients. Moreover, the potential future applications of POB in the food industry are summarized.

Key findings and conclusions

The surface layer of POB is regulated by various interfacial engineering techniques, which alter the physical, chemical, and functional properties of the entire emulsion system, thereby facilitating the preparation of diverse food ingredients. This approach holds significant promise for applications in the development of plant-based dairy products, serving as fat substitutes and functioning as carriers for bioactive substances, as well as in the formulation of emulsion gels and edible films.