Thermal Degradati̇on Ki̇neti̇cs and in Vi̇tro Gastroi̇ntesti̇nal Stabi̇li̇ty of 10-Hydroxy-2-Decenoi̇c Aci̇d i̇n Royal Jelly-Based Functi̇onal Formulati̇ons

Royal jelly (RJ) is a bee-derived secretion rich in 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), a fatty acid responsible for its antimicrobial, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects.However, 10-HDA is sensitive to heat and digestive conditions, which limits its stability in functional formulations.This study investigated the thermal degradation kinetics and in vitro gastrointestinal stability of 10-HDA in pure RJ and its mixtures with honey, pollen, and propolis.Samples were thermally treated at 30, 50, 70, and 90 °C for 0-20 minutes.LC-MS/MS analysis showed that in pure RJ, 10-HDA content decreased from 1.905 g/100 g to 0.149 g/100 g at 90 °C, following first-order kinetics with an activation energy of 29,27.In contrast, all mixtures followed zero-order kinetics, suggesting that matrix components provided thermal protection.Calculated activation energies and Q₁₀ values confirmed the compound's thermal sensitivity.Gastrointestinal stability was assessed using simulated salivary, gastric, and intestinal fluids.The highest degradation occurred in the oral and intestinal phases.The soft candy formulation showed the highest intestinal loss (57.14%), while the RJ-honey-propolis mixture retained the most 10-HDA (31.19 g/100 g).Propolis-containing formulations consistently performed better.In conclusion, 10-HDA degradation is strongly affected by temperature, digestion time, and formulation composition.Propolis and honey enhanced 10-HDA retention, especially under digestive conditions.These findings offer practical insights for developing heat-stable and bioaccessible RJ-based functional products for food, supplement, and apitherapy applications.