Formulation and stability Optimization of a Choline-Enriched DHA/ARA Emulsion for Preterm Infants

Sammanfattning

Preterm infants benefit from combined supplementation of arachidonic acid (ARA), docosahex-aenoic acid (DHA) and choline, but ARA/DHA-rich oils are highly susceptible to lipid oxida-tion. This project aimed to develop and evaluate choline-enriched DHA/ARA oil-in-water emulsions with suitable physical and oxidative stability. Emulsions were prepared by high-pressure homogenization using two AquaCelle® emulsifier systems which are EOC and GP1, choline chloride and α glycerophosphocholine, and two emulsifier levels. Droplet size evolution over time was used to evaluate physical stability, while peroxide value, conjugated dienes, para-anisidine value and TOTOX were used to assess oxidation during accelerated storage. AUC-based responses were mainly used for formulation comparison. The results showed that emulsi-fier type was the main factor affecting droplet size. EOC produced smaller droplets than GP1 but also showed higher accumulation of secondary oxidation products. In contrast, GP1-containing formulations showed better control of p-AV and overall oxidation burden. Choline form mainly influenced secondary oxidation, with α glycerophosphocholine performing better than choline chloride. Based on Design-Expert screening, GP1 with GPC combination was selected as the most promising formulation, with the highest desirability value.