W1/O/W2 emulsion stabilized by β-lactoglobulin/exopolysaccharides/epigallocatechin gallate complex: Protective effects on Lactobacillus plantarum A81 during storage, pasteurization and gastrointestinal digestion.

Chitosan–cinnamaldehyde–whey protein concentrate stabilized W1/O/W2 double emulsion for co-encapsulation of tea polyphenols and β-carotene

Spirulina-Stabilized Emulsions as Sustainable Delivery Systems for β-Carotene-Rich Sunflower Oil Extracted from Dunaliella salina

The incorporation of lipophilic bioactive compounds into aqueous food matrices requires delivery systems capable of improving their dispersion and storage stability. This study developed oil-in-water emulsions containing β-carotene-rich sunflower oil extracted from Dunaliella salina, using a commercial blue Spirulina extract as a bio-based emulsifier. The Spirulina extract concentration was initially screened from 0.5 to 3 wt.%, and the processing conditions were subsequently optimized through a central composite design and response surface methodology. The systems were characterized in terms of droplet size distribution, physical stability, apparent encapsulation efficiency, microstructure, and β-carotene retention at 4 and 25 °C. A Spirulina concentration of 2.5 wt.% produced the smallest droplet size during the preliminary screening, whereas 3 wt.% resulted in larger droplets and broader distributions. The optimized formulation exhibited a D3,2 of 0.680 µm, an apparent encapsulation efficiency of 91.4 ± 2.1%, and a Turbiscan Stability Index of approximately 4.8 after 30 days. β-Carotene retention after 30 days was 68.5% at 25 °C and 91.3% at 4 °C, compared with 41.8% and 80.7%, respectively, in the non-emulsified oil. These results support the potential of Spirulina-stabilized emulsions as sustainable carriers for carotenoid-enriched food products.

Emulsion-loaded konjac glucomannan/oat β-glucan/alginate hydrogel beads enhance the gastrointestinal and thermal tolerance of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BL99.

In this study, emulsion-loaded hydrogel beads were developed using konjac glucomannan (KGM), oat β-glucan (Glu), and sodium alginate (SA) as composite wall materials, with a shortening-based water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion incorporated for the protective delivery of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BL99. Rheological analysis showed that the KGM/Glu system at a ratio of 6:4 exhibited enhanced viscoelasticity. FTIR analysis indicated changes in the hydrogen-bonding environment and polysaccharide fingerprint region, while dual-channel CLSM observation of separately labeled KGM and Glu revealed partial spatial overlap and interpenetrating distribution, supporting favorable compatibility and chain association between the two polysaccharides. Contact angle and ζ-potential analyses were used as auxiliary indicators of apparent surface wettability and charge characteristics. DSC results showed that shortening exhibited a broad melting range of 12-52 °C, suggesting its potential as a thermally responsive phase. CLSM and SEM showed that oil droplets were embedded within the KGM/Glu/SA gel network, forming a multiphase structure with dispersed oil domains and probiotic-entrapping regions. Compared with KGM/Glu/SA hydrogel beads without emulsion (KSG), emulsion-loaded KGM/Glu/SA hydrogel beads (E-KSG) showed improved morphology, denser cross-sectional structure, and better stability in simulated intestinal fluid. After 360 min of simulated gastrointestinal digestion, BL99 counts in KSG and E-KSG were 4.81 and 5.05 log CFU/g, respectively. E-KSG maintained 8.35 and 4.98 log CFU/g after treatment at 63 °C for 30 min and 95 °C for 120 s, respectively, and improved BL99 viability during storage in peach juice, milk, and yogurt. These results demonstrate that the KGM/Glu/SA network combined with shortening-based W/O emulsion enhanced gastrointestinal protection, thermal tolerance, and storage stability of BL99.

Biosynthesis and functionalization of recombinant bovine lactoferrin: Alginate-mediated stabilization and MTGase-induced gelation for anthocyanin delivery.

Bovine lactoferrin (BLF) is a milk-derived glycoprotein with diverse biological activities, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory functions, with potential for applications in functional foods and nutraceuticals. However, its practical utilization remains limited by key challenges: low efficiency of traditional extraction methods, poor gastrointestinal stability, and a narrow range of application forms. To address these issues, this study developed an integrated strategy spanning from efficient production to functional application. First, the Pichia pastoris expression system was optimized through signal peptide engineering and chaperone co-expression, achieving high-yield secretory production of recombinant BLF (rBLF) at 232.6 mg/L in shake-flask fermentation. Subsequently, rBLF was complexed with sodium alginate (NaAlg) via electrostatic self-assembly to form nanocomposites for gastrointestinal protection. The rBLF-NaAlg complex exhibited remarkable resistance to simulated gastric digestion, with only a 23.7% reduction in particle size, significantly lower than the 71.1% reduction observed for free rBLF. Furthermore, a three-dimensional hydrogel delivery system was constructed through microbial transglutaminase (MTGase)-catalyzed cross-linking. This system demonstrated encapsulation and sustained release of anthocyanins as a model bioactive compound. The gel structure and performance showed a clear enzyme concentration dependence: moderate cross-linking (<80 U/g) resulted in a uniform and dense network, enhancing encapsulation efficiency and providing controlled release. This work establishes a complete technological pathway from high-yield production and stabilization to functional expansion, demonstrating that rBLF can be transformed from a labile bioactive protein into a dual-functional material with both nutritional and delivery capabilities. This integrated strategy provides a viable solution for developing advanced BLF-based functional foods and nutraceutical delivery systems.

Characterization of soy lecithin/tween 80 synergistically stabilized cumin essential oil nanoemulsions and their application in air-dried camel meat processing

The objective of this study was to develop a nanoemulsion of cumin essential oil (CEO-NE) stabilized synergistically by soybean lecithin (SL) and Tween 80 (TW 80), and to investigate the effects of different cumin essential oil (CEO) concentrations (1%–5%) on its physicochemical properties, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities, with a view to further evaluating its potential for preserving sun-dried camel meat. The results showed that when the SL to TW 80 ratio was 1:1, the prepared CEO-NE exhibited the smallest particle size (119.33 ± 2.52 nm) and the highest absolute zeta potential (−56.72 ± 1.23 mV). Through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions, CEO-NE at various concentrations formed stable nanoemulsion systems, with significantly improved thermal stability. Among these, 3% CEO-NE exhibited the best encapsulation efficiency and the most uniform particle distribution. The results of the antioxidant and antibacterial activity assessments showed that all CEO-NE samples (1%–5%) exhibited concentration-dependent antioxidant and antibacterial effects. The DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging rates increased from 60.24% to 97.09% and from 58.99% to 81.52%, respectively, while the total colony counts of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus decreased by 1.1 log CFU/mL and 1.32 log CFU/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the activity of CEO-NE at all concentrations was significantly superior to that of free CEO (P < 0.05). Experiments applying CEO-NE to the preservation of air-dried camel meat indicated that, during the 12-day drying process, the CEO-NE-treated group effectively maintained meat moisture content, significantly reduced thiobarbituric acid reactant values (0.46 ± 0.07 mg/kg) and total microbial counts (4.03 ± 0.14 log CFU/g), and improved sensory quality.

Soy Protein Isolate-β-Cyclodextrin Microencapsulation Boosts Stability and Intestinal Delivery of α-Linolenic Acid-Rich Structured Lipids: Oxidation, Digestion, and Molecular Docking Evaluation.

In vitro simulated digestion demonstrated its characteristic intestinal sustained-release behavior, which provides preliminary in vitro evidence that may favor enhanced intestinal absorption of α-linolenic acid (ALA); however, further cellular or animal trials are required to quantitatively validate its actual in vivo bioavailability improvement.