Oil bodies (OBs) are micron- or submicron-sized sub-organelles widely
found in plants seeds and nuts. The structure OBs is composed of a core
of triglycerides covered by a phospholipid-protein layer, which ensures
the stability of the OBs under extreme environmental conditions and
further protects core lipids as energy reserves. As naturally
pre-emulsified oil-in-water emulsions, OBs have been gradually applied
to replace synthetically engineered oil droplets. In this paper, the
recent research on the composition, extraction, stability, delivery
system, digestion, food applications and future perspectives of plant
OBs are reviewed. Recent studies have focused on the OBs surface protein
identification and function, large-scale extraction techniques such as
enzyme assisted, high pressure, ultrasound, and extrusion and the
reconstituted OBs. Electrostatic deposition of polysaccharides
significantly improves the stability of OBs emulsions. OBs emulsions
have promising applications to encapsulate bioactive compounds, deliver
targeted drugs, and prepare gels and edible functional films. The
digestive behavior of OBs emulsions is similar to that of
protein-stabilized emulsions, which can increase the satiety,
effectively help reduce calorie intake and improve the bioavailability
of functional factors. It has also promoted the development of simulated
dairy, spices and meat products.
Recent developments and prospects in the composition, extraction, stability, delivery system, digestion and food applications of plant oil bodies