The effect of the thickness and density of droplet interfacial membrane on the chemical stability of β-carotene in emulsions was investigated, and its impact on the effectiveness of oil-soluble antioxidants to retard β-carotene degradation was examined. β-Carotene was incorporated into the emulsions stabilized by PEGylated emulsifiers having various-sized hydrophilic groups. In the presence of oxidative stresses (pH, iron ions, and radicals in this study), it was observed that the interfacial thickness was relevant to the stability of β-carotene encapsulated into emulsion droplets. Particularly, iron-mediated carotene degradation was effectively retarded in the emulsions having a thin interfacial membrane than ones with a thick interfacial membrane. The interfacial denseness also affected β-carotene stability but its ability to retard β-carotene degradation was influenced by the interfacial thickness. Although β-carotene degradation rate decreased upon the addition of oil-soluble antioxidants, its antioxidant activity depended on what prooxidant promoted the degradation of β-carotene in the emulsions.

研究了液滴界面膜的厚度和密度对乳液中β-胡萝卜素化学稳定性的影响，并考察了其对油溶性抗氧化剂延缓β-胡萝卜素降解的有效性的影响。将β-胡萝卜素掺入通过具有各种尺寸的亲水基团的聚乙二醇化乳化剂稳定的乳液中。在存在氧化应激（本研究中为pH，铁离子和自由基）的情况下，观察到界面厚度与包裹在乳液液滴中的β-胡萝卜素的稳定性有关。特别是，界面膜较薄的乳液比界面膜较厚的乳液有效地抑制了铁介导的胡萝卜素的降解。界面密度也影响β-胡萝卜素的稳定性，但是其抑制β-胡萝卜素降解的能力受到界面厚度的影响。尽管加入油溶性抗氧化剂后β-胡萝卜素的降解速率降低，但其抗氧化活性取决于促进乳剂中β-胡萝卜素降解的促氧化剂。