微囊化的ω- 3因為可以解決魚油帶來的氣味和味道的問題，在食品和食物強化劑工業(yè)中已經被用作抗氧化劑。但是少有關于微囊化以促進生物利用率的的研究，而來自赫爾大學的研究隊伍所做的這方面的研究發(fā)表于脂質（Lipids）雜志。
研究者使用的是歐洲石松的孢粉外孢壁做實驗材料。在試驗中，與用乙酸乙酯包埋的EPA相比，使用石松孢粉外孢壁所微囊化的EPA的生物利用率有明顯的提高。
據(jù)悉，該研究成果目前沒有廣泛的商業(yè)應用，但是有跨國公司正在自己的實驗室里對該成果進行驗證，并試圖進行擴大試驗。并且，若使用常見的黑麥或玉米花粉的話，則會降低生產成本。
食品伙伴網編者注：因為孢子以及花粉的問題請教了上海師范大學植物學專業(yè)碩士在讀且研究方向為蕨類植物的姜楠同學，姜楠同學稱，石松是一種蕨類植物，文中的花粉孢子翻譯成孢粉則更加貼切一些，而黑麥和玉米則是花粉。在此對姜楠同學表示感謝。
編者注：根據(jù)我國著作權法第二章第二節(jié) 第十二條 改編、翻譯、注釋、整理已有作品而產生的作品，其著作權由改編、翻譯、注釋、整理人享有。本文的中文內容由食品伙伴網翻譯整理，如需轉載請將此段文字一起轉載，并標明原始出處為食品伙伴網，否則我們將依法追究其法律責任。
原文導讀：
Pollen spores could enhance omega-3 bioavailability
By Jess Halliday, 27-Jul-2010Hollowed-out pollen spores could be used to microencapsulate EPA omega-3 and make it more bioavailable, new research from the University of Hull suggests.
EPA (eicosapentasenoic acid), most commonly sourced from fish and seafood, is a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid much studied for its potential health benefits, especially for cardiovascular health.
Microencapsulated omega-3 ingredients are already used by the food and dietary supplements industry to prevent oxidation and deal with taste and odour issues associated with fish oils, but little research has been done in microencapsulation to boost bioavailability, the Hull team wrote in a paper published in the journal Lipids.
They set about investigating the potential of emptied-out pollen shells, known as exines, to be used as microencapsulation materials. Two of the researchers, Grahame Mackenzie and Professor Stephen Atkin, are involved in an enterprise spun out from the University of Hull called Sporodex, which provided the exines from Lycopodium clavatum, also known as club moss, for the study.
In the open-label study six healthy volunteers ingested 4.6g of fish oil with 20 percent EPA in the form of an ethyl ester, then as 1:1 microencapsulated powder of exines and fish oil.
The participants’ serum bioavailability was measured after each step. It was seen to be significantly higher with EPA from ethyl ester with exines than without exines.
Although the group was small, the researchers say the results are highly significant and warrant further in vitro and in vivo studies. At this stage the mechanism of action is not sure, but they hypothesise that it may be due to the “protective structure of fish oil-enriched exines whereby the whole unit could travel unhindered through the mucosal lining without releasing its inner core until it has entered the circulation”.
Sporodex’s exine technology is not currently available for commercial use, but Mackenzie told NutraIngredients.com that multinational companies are currently assessing the technology in their own laboratories, and others are looking at ways to scale up or provide companies with estimates of how much it would cost to produce the pollen on a commercial scale.
It is expected to be competitive with other forms of microencapsulation, however, and exines have the added advantage of having antioxidant capabilities of their own.
Mackenzie added that the cost would be lower if readily available pollens were used, such as rye or maize.
