Antioxidant and Hypocholesterolemic Properties of Functional Soy Yogurts Fortified with ω‐3 and ω‐6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Balb/c Mice

Abstract

Increase of ω3 and ω6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) intake is currently recommended. Yogurt, which is already popular, offers a functional food matrix to deliver ω3 and ω6 PUFAs. The aim of this study is to investigate the antioxidative and cholesterol‐lowering properties of functional soy yogurts fortified with fish oil (FO) containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and Evening primrose oil (EPO) containing gamma linolenic acid (GLA) in diet induced hypercholesterolemic mice. Adding FO and EPO results in a significant reduction in the serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and low–density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C), and the atherogenic index of hypercholesterolemic mice when compared with soy yogurt (control) only. Soy yogurts supplemented with functional lipids had significantly improved the high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) in serum, super oxide dismutase and catalase level in liver homogenate and significantly declined the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gamma glutamyl transferase activities. Practical Applications: FO and EPO may be considered as novel functional food ingredients for soy yogurt production. The process is commercially economical in view of the uses of seed flour as direct raw material without beany odor problem for making non‐dairy food product. Consumption of poly unsaturated fatty acid fortified soy yogurt results in a significant reduction in the liver total cholesterol of hypercholesterolemic mice when compared with soy yogurt (control) only.

Emulsions stabilized by soy protein nanoparticles as potential functional non‐dairy yogurts

“…Yogurt which is a popular fermented food product is considered as functional food due to high bioavailability of health beneficial bioactive compounds. Development of non‐dairy yogurt from edible oil seed flour such as soybean provides immense health benefits beyond conventional dairy yogurts . Previous studies reported that nanoparticles were successfully prepared from soy protein and applied for nutraceutical application encapsulation through different processes consisting of dispersion, desolvation followed by drug incorporation and glutaraldehyde crosslinking .…”

“…Development of non-dairy yogurt from edible oil seed flour such as soybean provides immense health benefits beyond conventional dairy yogurts. [7][8][9] Previous studies reported that nanoparticles were successfully prepared from soy protein and applied for nutraceutical application encapsulation through different processes consisting of dispersion, desolvation followed by drug incorporation and glutaraldehyde crosslinking. 10 It was reported that aggregates of soy proteins nanoparticles (SPNs) could be used as novel food grade pickering stabilizer for oil-in-water emulsions which would be of great importance for the development of soy-based emulsions in formulation of novel functional food.…”