The Science behind Oleosome Technology

Oleosomes are oil storage reservoirs that have evolved over hundreds of millions of years to preserve and protect seed oil from rancidity and oxidation. They are common to virtually every oilseed crop and botanical.

Cross-section of a Safflower Seed Oleosomes are widely present among protein bodies in the seeds of a variety of crops.

Oleosomes are spherical structures with a diameter of 1-3 uM. They consist of a core of triglyceride vegetable oil, surrounded by a single phospholipid membrane and encased with proteins called oleosins. Oleosins are highly structured, and consist of both hydrophilic (water-loving) and hydrophobic (oil-loving) domains. In short, the oleosins act as the emulsifier and because of their spherical orientation, exhibit unparallel efficiency. By weight, oleosomes are 99% oil, with the phospholipid and proteins making up the remaining 1%.

Oleosome Structure Oleosomes are spherical, oil-containing seed structures.

Botaneco has developed a proprietary manufacturing process, which allows for the isolation of intact oleosomes from seeds using a gentle aqueous extraction method. This process not only preserves the oleosome's structure but also preserves the naturally occurring, functional, and bio-active constituents of seed oil, including antioxidants, vitamins, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, phytosterols and other beneficial actives – all of which are often destroyed during conventional processing.

This oleosome production process is 100% natural, and does not involve the use of emulsifiers or solvents of any kind.

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