High internal phase Pickering emulsions stabilised by ultrasound-induced soy protein-β-glucan-catechin complex nanoparticles to enhance the stability and bioaccessibility of curcumin

Abstract

Aims

To evaluate the potential applications of soy protein–glucan–catechin (SGC) complexes prepared with different ultrasound times in stabilising high internal phase Pickering emulsion (HIPPE) and delivering curcumin.

Methods

The SGC complexes were characterised by particle size, morphology, zeta potential, Fourier transform infra-red, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Formation and stability of curcumin emulsions were monitored by droplet size, microstructure, rheological property, lipid oxidation, and in vitro digestion.

Results

Short-time ultrasound-induced complexes (SGC-U15) exhibited a small size and wettability of ∼82.5°. The chemical stability and bioaccessibility of curcumin was greatly improved by SGC-U15-stabilised HIPPEs, even after 70 days of storage, heating at 100 °C for 30 min, ultraviolet irradiation for 120 min, and in vitro digestion, owing to the formation of elastic gel-like structure at the oil/water interfaces.

Conclusion

Our findings may contribute to the design of emulsion-based delivery systems using ultrasound-induced protein–polysaccharide–polyphenol complexes.

Keywords:

• Ultrasound
• soy proteinglucan-catechin complexes
• high internal phase Pickering emulsion
• elastic gel-like structure
• curcumin bioaccessibility

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (No. 2019A1515011293 and 2023A1515012184) and Special projects in key fields of Colleges and Universities in Guangdong, China (No. 2020ZDZX1047).