Pickering emulsions improve protection and bioaccessibility of curcumin

What is it about?

The present study aimed to investigate protection and bioaccessibility of curcumin in ovotransferrin (OVT) fibril-stabilized Pickering emulsions. Curcumin protection of OVT fibril-stabilized emulsions against ultraviolet light exposure was studied. OVT fibril-stabilized Pickering emulsion at an ionic strength of 1000 mM provided the best curcumin protection. OVT fibril-stabilized Pickering emulsion at pH 6 provided better curcumin protection than those at pH 2 and 4. Afterwards, digestion of OVT fibril-stabilized curcumin emulsion was investigated in both TNO dynamic digestion model (TIM-1) and pH-stat static digestion model. In terms of TIM-1 result, curcumin bioaccessibility in OVT fibril-stabilized emulsion increased by 129% when compared with that in bulk oil. In pH-stat digestion model, curcumin bioaccessibility increased by 114% after formulated into OVT fibril-stabilized droplets, which was due to higher extent of lipolysis. Interestingly, both TIM-1 and pH-stat digestion models gave almost consistent measurements of improved percentage in curcumin bioaccessibility. Curcumin bioaccessibility of the emulsion in TIM-1 and pH-stat model was 15.3% and 33.8% respectively, indicating bioaccessibility overestimation in pH-stat model. The novel findings in this work could facilitate designing food-grade Pickerinng emulsion with excellent nutraceutical protection and enhanced nutraceutical bioaccessibility.

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Why is it important?

1. Curcumin protection of ovotransferrin fibril-stabilized emulsions was dependent on pH and ionic strength. 2. Ovotransferrin fibril-stabilized emulsions improved curcumin bioaccessibility. 3. The static digestion model overestimated curcumin bioaccessibility. 4. Ovotransferrin fibril-stabilized emulsions improved extent of lipolysis.

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