Synthesis and Characterization of Phenolic Lipids

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3 PUFAs) from fish oils promote well-established health and antiaging benefits that justify their use as functional ingredients in dietary supplements, healthy foods, and nutraceutical products. Dietary supply is needed because human metabolism exhibits limited to synthesize ω3 PUFAs. However, the practical use of such lipids as food ingredients is often limited due to their high susceptibility to oxidation, which is responsible for the undesirable off-flavor and odor of rancid oils, associated with the loss of nutritional value. Produced phenolic lipids were a good solution for all these problems. These phenolic lipids are preferentially produced by enzymatic bioprocesses that exhibit high selectivity toward polyfunctional substrates and mild reaction conditions compared with chemical synthesis pathways. This chapter presents the acylation of phenolic compounds and lipids using enzyme under various operating conditions. In conclusion, the acylation of lipids with natural phenolic compounds resulted in the formation of a lipophilic ester that should be able to stabilize the oil, fats, and emulsions against oxidation. Acylation of lipids to phenolic compounds that have antioxidant properties thus protects the lipids from oxidation, and the phenolic lipid derivatives carry the combined health beneficial properties of lipids and the phenolic molecules.