Composite hydrogels encapsulating soy oleosome-associated protein-modified liposomes: Effects of protein on gel texture and release attribute.

To address the challenge of poor environmental stability of liposomes, a composite gellan gum hydrogel encapsulating soy oleosome-associated protein (SOP)-modified liposomes was fabricated. Particle size, zeta-potential, spectroscopic analysis and morphological analysis confirmed that SOP was successfully anchored, with the particle size increased from 113.4 nm for bare liposomes to 128.5-137.3 nm for SOP-modified liposomes. An appropriate SOP inclusion amount (0.4 mg/mL) endowed the gel (SOP0.4-Lip-G) with desirable hardness, elasticity, and cohesiveness. Increasing SOP concentration (from 0.4 mg/mL to 0.8 mg/mL) resulted in a corresponding reduction in gel formation time from 3.68 min to 2.85 min. The gel structure formation was attributed to non-covalent interactions, including hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic effects, and electrostatic interactions. Luteolin encapsulation within the composite gel induced a transformation from a crystalline to an amorphous state. In vitro simulated digestion analysis demonstrated that the composite hydrogel exhibited enhanced sustained-release performance and improved luteolin bioavailability due to the hierarchical liposome-in-hydrogel system. SOP0.4-Lip-G also exhibited favorable pH, ionic strength, and storage stability. This work presents a tunable fabrication strategy for developing liposome-loaded composite hydrogel dietary supplements and nutraceuticals products with improved stability and bioavailability.