Hoang Du Le
Doctor of Philosophy, (Food Technology)
Study Completed: 2021
College of Sciences
Citation
Thesis Title
Carbohydrate-based oil-in-water emulsions for delivery of short-chain fatty acids
Read article at Massey Research Online: 
Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are important functional metabolites that are useful in the prevention of the metabolic syndrome, bowel disorders, and certain types of cancer. Mr Le aimed to encapsulate short chain triglycerides (SCFA precursors) into microcapsules using carbohydrate materials and then deliver them into the colon. The colon-delivery ability of the microcapsules was tested using a simulated digestion model and a pig model to mimic the real digestion process in humans. The results showed that when pectin and cellulose nanocrystals were used, up to 50% of the precursors were absorbed in the small intestine while the rest was delivered into the colon. Subsequently, the remaining precursors would release SCFAs to be adsorbed by the colon. The delivery systems’ successful design demonstrates strong promise for future human studies and their potential application for development of functional foods to prevent colorectal diseases.
Supervisors
Distinguished Professor Harjinder Singh
Professor Simon Loveday
Dr Emilia Nowak
Dr Zhigao Niu