Development of camellia oil-based beverage and its anti-atherosclerotic effects in ApoE-/- mice.

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis remains a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although camellia oil exhibits promising anti-atherosclerotic properties, its direct consumption is often limited by its strong flavor and greasy texture. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop a camellia oil-based beverage with a milky appearance, reduced greasiness, and enhanced palatability. In addition, the anti-atherosclerotic effects of the beverage were examined in ApoE-/- mice. METHODS: A camellia oil-based oil-in-water emulsion was optimized and characterized for stability, particle size, and zeta potential. Its anti-atherosclerotic effects were evaluated in high-fat diet-fed ApoE-/- mice after 8 weeks of treatment using aortic Oil Red O staining, serum lipid assays, and UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS-based metabolomics. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In ApoE-/- mice, the beverage treatment significantly reduced aortic plaque burden, achieving an efficacy comparable to that of unprocessed camellia oil, thereby demonstrating that emulsification preserved its bioactivity. Additionally, the beverage significantly lowered serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.05). Untargeted metabolomic profiling further indicated that its protective effects were associated with the modulation of metabolic pathways involved in lipid regulation. Taken together, these findings highlight the camellia oil-based beverage as a promising dietary strategy for mitigating atherosclerosis and improving lipid homeostasis.