**2.10. Application of phenolic lipids**

Phenolic lipids, compounds which have been known for a century, are more recently being extensively studied not only from the biological but also from the chemical point of view. Phenolic lipids used as novel antioxidants that synthesized enzymatically. These natural antioxidants increased the antioxidant capacity and the oxidative stability of the edible oils [123]. These products can be used as nutraceuticals for their nutritional value and antioxidant capacity as well as natural ingredients for their physicochemical characteristics [39]. Enzymatic esterification of omega-3 PUFAs with vanillyl alcohol leads to protect these compounds from oxidation, and the PUFA-phenolic derivatives prepared confer the combined health beneficial properties of PUFA and the phenolic molecules [10]. Studies of Zhong and Shahidi [38, 39] indicated that antioxidant activity of esters produced from the esterification of EGCG with PUFA (EPA and DHA) was superior to that of parent compound in retarded of the oxidation of bulk oil and emulsion. The results suggest that these lipophilic derivatives of EGCG could be considered for use in food preservation and health promotion [38].

Recently, most of the observed activities of phenolic lipids were rather nonspecific and resulted from their amphiphilic and phenolic nature. Further investigation on various aspects of biology may open new opportunities to exploit their properties, as, for example, chemopreventive and antitumor agents, and to develop pharmaceuticals based on phenolic lipid compounds.
