Corn lecithin for injection from deoiled corn germ: Extraction, composition, and emulsifying properties

Abstract

Although the lipid fraction of corn germ is rich in lecithin, this material is usually discarded with the residual pulp during industrial corn oil extraction processes. In this study, corn germ, after deoiling by supercritical carbon dioxide (SC‒CO₂), was used as a raw material to prepare corn lecithin for injection. The physicochemical properties, phospholipid composition, fatty acid composition, and emulsifying properties of the corn lecithin for injection were analysed. The phospholipid and phosphatidylcholine contents in the prepared corn lecithin were 95.96% and 78.37%, respectively. Linoleic acid (45.99%) and oleic acid (22.31%) were the main unsaturated fatty acids, and the ratio of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to n-3 PUFA (i.e., n-6/n-3) of 6.00 was in accord with World Health Organization recommendations. Emulsions stabilized with the corn lecithin for injection were optically characterized and microscopically inspected, and the droplet size distribution was determined. The results showed that an increase in the corn lecithin concentration led to a decrease in droplet diameter and an increase in emulsion stability. Furthermore, the corn lecithin for injection created a more stable emulsion than injection-grade egg yolk lecithin.

Practical applications

The use of lecithins as emulsifiers for parenteral emulsions has been advocated because these materials, typically obtained from egg yolks or soybeans, can be readily metabolized. In this study, we explored the possibility of recovering an important value-added substance, corn lecithin for injection, which was separated from the corn germ waste generated during corn oil production. The corn lecithin for injection has excellent potential for use as a natural emulsifier in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetics industries.

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