Source: UNIV OF ALABAMA submitted to NRP
DEVELOPING LUTEIN EMULSION-BASED FORMULA FOR SUPPORTING EARLY-LIFE HEALTH
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
ACTIVE
Funding Source
AFRI COMPETITIVE GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1030038
Grant No.
2023-67018-39554
Cumulative Award Amt.
$300,000.00
Proposal No.
2022-09437
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Apr 1, 2023
Project End Date
Mar 31, 2026
Grant Year
2023
Program Code
[A1343]- Food and Human Health
Recipient Organization
UNIV OF ALABAMA
BOX 870344
TUSCALOOSA,AL 35487
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Lutein is a potent antioxidant and an essential dietary bio-compound for infant health, especially for the eye and brain health. Lutein is the predominant carotenoid in breast milk, emphasizing its importance for infant health and development. However, infants who are not exclusively breast-fed may not be able to obtain enough lutein before solid foods are introduced and the bioavailability of lutein in infant formula is low. This proposed research project aims to develop lutein emulsion-fortified infant formula and assess their stability, bioavailability, and functionality in neonatal rats. This isa fortification strategy of using micro-encapsulation technique to enhance the effiency of the bio-active compound, lutein, in food. This will be the first effort to study the potential effects of lutein emulsion-fortified formula on improving the bioavailability and the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ability of lutein.The formula to be developed in this study will be tested in future clinical trials. It has a great potential to be utilized as a nutritional approach to maximize thehealth effects of lutein, benefiting newborns and infants, especially the at-risk groups.
Animal Health Component
30%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
70%
Applied
30%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
7025010101070%
5025010100030%
Knowledge Area
702 - Requirements and Function of Nutrients and Other Food Components; 502 - New and Improved Food Products;

Subject Of Investigation
5010 - Food;

Field Of Science
1010 - Nutrition and metabolism; 1000 - Biochemistry and biophysics;
Goals / Objectives
Lutein is a potent antioxidant and an essential dietary bio-compound for infant health, especially for the eye and brain health. Lutein is the predominant carotenoid in breast milk, emphasizing its importance for infant health and development. However, infants who are not exclusively breast-fed may not be able to obtain enough lutein before solid foods are introducedthe and the bioavailability of lutein in infant formula is low. This proposed research project aims to develop lutein emulsion-fortified infant formula and assess their in vitro stability and bioaccessibility and in vivo bioavailability and functionality in neonatal rats. The specific objectives are:Objective 1: Develop lutein emulsion-fortified formula and analyze the stability and in vitro bioaccessibility of lutein.Objective 2: Determine the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of lutein upon a single dose of lutein emulsion- or free lutein-fortified formula in neonatal rats through an acute dosing study.Objective 3: Assess the effect of consuming lutein emulsion-fortified formula on the lutein status and the oxidative and inflammatory status of neonatal rats in a feeding study.The propposed research work employs a fortification strategy of using "micro-encapsulation to enhance bioavailability of bioactive components (lutein) in food". This will be the first effort to study the potential effects of lutein emulsion-fortified formula on improving the bioavailability and the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ability of lutein.This project aims to "enhance the nutritional value of foods through improved bioavailability of vitamins, minerals, and bioactive components", which is within the priority scope of the FY 2021 Program Area Priority A1343 Food and Human Nutrition. The formula to be developed in this study will be tested in future clinical trials. It has a great potential to be utilized as a nutritional approach to maximize the bioavailability and health effects of lutein, benefiting newborns and infants, especially the at-risk groups.
Project Methods
In order to develop lutein emulsion-fortified formula and evaluate its properties, we will 1) examine the distribution of lutein and lutein emulsion in model formulae, 2)Evaluate the physical and chemical stability of lutein-fortified model formula during storage, and 3)Measure the in vitro antioxidant capacity and bioaccessibility of lutein in formulae.Next, we will evaluate its bioavailability and health effects via animal studies, by 1) determiningthe pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of lutein upon a single dose of lutein emulsion- or free lutein-fortified formula in neonatal rats through an acute dosing study, and 2) assessing the effect of consuming lutein emulsion-fortified formula on the lutein status and the oxidative and inflammatory status of neonatal rats in a feeding study. In the animal studies, we will use Sprague-Dawley rats. In the acute dosing study, we will measure serum letin, calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters of lutein to determin its bioavailability. In the feeding study, we will measure lutein in tisues, examine the oxidative status and inflammatory biomarkers in several tissues.

Progress 04/01/23 to 03/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:Through publications and presentations, the target audience reached includes academic and industrial scientists working in the field of food emulsions, nutritional fortification, and infant health. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?One postdoc fellow supported by the funding was trained at the University of Alabama (UA), and one first-year PhD student in Human Nutrition was also involved and trained in the project. Two undergraduate students from the Randall Research Scholar program at UA also participated in the project. Students were trained on the preparation and characterization of oil-in-water emulsions as well as testing the physical and thermo stability and in vitro bioaccessiblity of the emulsions. They were also trained on breeding, feeding, and taking care ofrats used for the in vivo experiments. They also grasped rat euthanization, necropsy, tissue collection, and analysis via UPLC. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results have been disseminated largely through oral and poster presentations at conferences and publications in peer-reviewed academic journals. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will focus on Objective 3 in the next reporting period. In vivo feeding studies in a rodent model of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) will be conducted to determine the effects of the lutein emulsions andmodel formula on the oxidative status, inflammatory status, and ROP progression in neonatal rodents with ROP. ROP is an eye disease that is prevalent in preterm newborns. Lutein was shown in previous studies to have the potential in ameliorating ROP.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? We have been working on objectives 1 and 2 and successfully developed lutein emulsions stabilized byoctenylsuccinylated (OS) starches, OS startches with soy protein, and OS starches with pea proten, which were shown to significantly improve the stability and in vitro bioaccessibility of lutein (Objective 1) as well as its in vivo bioavailability in a neonatal rat model (Objective 2). Additionally, we have successuflly developed a model infant formula with the lutein emulsions and other necessary ingredients (vitamins, minerals, etc).

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Zhang, Y., Li, S., Kong, L., & Tan, L. (2024). Developing biopolymer-stabilized emulsions for improved stability and bioaccessibility of lutein. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 129202-129202.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: McAtee, H., Zhang, Y., & Tan, L. (2023). Effect of supplementation with macular carotenoids on retinopathy of prematurity: A systematic review. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, 100905.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Zhang, Y., Dawson, R., Kong, L., & Tan, L. (2024). Lutein supplementation for early-life health and development: current knowledge, challenges, and implications. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 1-16.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2024 Citation: Zhang Y, Li S, Binkley L, Feng J, Tan L, and Kong L. (2024). Developing high internal phase emulsions stabilized by octenylsuccinylated starch for lutein. Food Frontiers. Under Review.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Zhang Y, Alam S, Kong L, and Tan L. (2024). Optimization of Lutein Emulsion Stabilized by Octenylsuccinylated Starch-Soy Protein Isolate to Improve Lutein Stability and In Vitro Bioaccessibility. Oral and Poster Presentation. Nutrition 2024. Chicago, IL.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Zhang Y, Alam S, Kong L, and Tan L. (2024). Optimization of Lutein Emulsion Stabilized by Octenylsuccinylated Starch-Soy Protein Isolate to Improve Lutein Stability and In Vitro Bioaccessibility. Oral Presentation. Virtual International Carotenoids Conference.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Alam S, Zhang Y, Kong L, and Tan L. (2024). Improved Stability and In Vitro Bioaccessibility of Lutein in Emulsions Stabilized by Octenylsuccinylated Starch and Pea Protein Isolate. Oral and Poster Presentation. Nutrition 2024. Chicago, IL.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Alam S, Zhang Y, Kong L, and Tan L. (2024). Improved Stability and In Vitro Bioaccessibility of Lutein in Emulsions Stabilized by Octenylsuccinylated Starch and Pea Protein Isolate. Oral and Poster Presentation. Virtual International Carotenoids Conference.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Lauren, B., Zhang, Y., Tan, L. (2023). Developing Emulsion stabilized by Soy Protein Isolate and Octenylsuccinate Starch to Improve the Storage Stability of Lutein. Oral Presentation. University of Alabama Randall Research Scholars Live Broadcast. Tuscaloosa, AL.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Alam S, Zhang Y, Kong L, Tan L (2024). Improved Stability and in vitro Bioaccessibility of Lutein in Emulsions Stabilized by Octenylsuccinylated Starch and Pea Protein Isolate. Virtual poster presentation. University Research Symposium 2024. Livingston, AL.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Alam S, Zhang Y, Kong L, Tan L (2024). Improved Stability and in vitro Bioaccessibility of Lutein in Emulsions Stabilized by Octenylsuccinylated Starch and Pea Protein Isolate. Poster Presentation. SUGRS 2024. Tuscaloosa, AL.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Lauren B, Zhang Y, Kong L, and Tan L. (2024). Developing Emulsion stabilized by Soy Protein Isolate and Octenylsuccinate Starch to Improve the Storage Stability of Lutein. Poster Presentation. Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference. Tuscaloosa, AL.