Development of composite nanoparticles from gum Arabic and carboxymethylcellulose-modified Stauntonia brachyanthera seed albumin for lutein delivery

Abstract Lutein is a carotenoid with several beneficial functions, but its poor water solubility, chemical instability, and low bioavailability limits its application. To overcome these shortcomings, self-assembly composite nanoparticles from Stauntonia brachyanthera seed albumin (SBSA), gum Arabic (GA), and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) were developed for lutein encapsulation. Firstly, SBSA was extracted from seeds and its physicochemical properties were evaluated. Followingly, the nanoparticles were prepared with SBSA through a heat induced self-assembly method which were modified by GA and CMC. The nanoparticles exhibited good storage, pH, and salt stability. Hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic interactions, and electrostatic interactions were proved to derive the formation of nanoparticles. The maximum effective loading capacity (LC) of the lutein in nanoparticles was 0.92±0.01% with an encapsulation efficiency (EE) at 83.95±0.98%. Heat stability and storage stability of lutein were significantly enhanced after encapsulation into nanoparticles. In addition, the bioaccessibility of lutein increased from 17.50±2.60% to 46.80±4.70% after encapsulation into nanoparticles.