Oil bodies (OBs) are micron- or submicron-sized sub-organelles widely found in plants seeds and nuts. The structure OBs is composed of a core of triglycerides covered by a phospholipid-protein layer, which ensures the stability of the OBs under extreme environmental conditions and further protects core lipids as energy reserves. As naturally pre-emulsified oil-in-water emulsions, OBs have been gradually applied to replace synthetically engineered oil droplets. In this paper, the recent research on the composition, extraction, stability, delivery system, digestion, food applications and future perspectives of plant OBs are reviewed. Recent studies have focused on the OBs surface protein identification and function, large-scale extraction techniques such as enzyme assisted, high pressure, ultrasound, and extrusion and the reconstituted OBs. Electrostatic deposition of polysaccharides significantly improves the stability of OBs emulsions. OBs emulsions have promising applications to encapsulate bioactive compounds, deliver targeted drugs, and prepare gels and edible functional films. The digestive behavior of OBs emulsions is similar to that of protein-stabilized emulsions, which can increase the satiety, effectively help reduce calorie intake and improve the bioavailability of functional factors. It has also promoted the development of simulated dairy, spices and meat products.
