Oat protein isolate-shellac nanoparticle stabilized Pickering emulsions with elastic interfacial layer: From interfacial stabilization mechanism to efficient delivery system.

This study systematically investigated the interfacial mechanism of oat protein isolate -shellac (OPI/S) nanoparticles at the oil-water (O/W) interface under neutral condition, and explored the promising performance of OPI/S stabilized Pickering emulsions as an efficient delivery system for lipid-soluble nutrients. The results demonstrated that OPI/S2:1 nanoparticles synergistically stabilized Pickering emulsion by constructing a dense elastic interfacial film on oil droplets through exposed hydrophobic sites, while forming a compact 3D network in the continuous phase via interparticle hydrophobic interactions. Such dense film and favorable interactions significantly enhanced protein adsorption rate and elevated interfacial protein concentration compared to OPI nanoparticles alone. Such elastic interfacial film of OPI/S2:1-stabilized Pickering emulsion exhibited superior encapsulation and protection ability for curcumin, where the encapsulation efficiency, retention rate and bioaccessibility increased significantly by 19.4%, 37.8%, and 40.6%, respectively, after UV radiation and heat treatment, while demonstrated excellent controlled release properties in simulated gastrointestinal tract, establishing exceptional delivery systems for lipophilic nutrients.