Formation and application of soy protein/modified chitosan nanoparticles for interfacial engineering of β-carotene-loaded Pickering emulsions.

Pickering emulsions are regarded as promising nutrient delivery carriers due to their high stability and diverse functionalities. Herein, we aimed to conduct interface engineering on the oil droplets in oil-in-water Pickering emulsions by covalently mediating genipin to modify soybean protein amyloid fibrils (SAFs) with chitosan oligosaccharides (COS). The objective was to prepare pH-tunable nanoparticles (S-GCNPs) for stabilizing β-carotene-loaded Pickering emulsions. The results showed that S-GCNPs formed a dense coating on the surface of oil droplets and reduced the interfacial tension. The Pickering emulsions stabilized by S-GCNPs can resist the gastric environment effectively and rupture in the small intestinal environment, thus promoting the targeted delivery of carotenoids. The study also found that interface coatings can protect carotenoids from chemical degradation, thereby improving the bioavailability of β-carotene. Therefore, the interface engineering transformation using natural ingredients can improve the performance of Pickering emulsions as a delivery system for nutrition and health care products.