Encapsulation of fucoxanthin in pickering emulsion with improved stability and bioaccessibility for inflammatory bowel disease prevention

Fucoxanthin (FUC), a lipid-soluble carotenoid with various bioactivities, demonstrates promise as a preventive agent against inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Nevertheless, the inherent instability and low aqueous solubility of FUC limit its application in functional food formulations and pharmaceutical applications. In this study, a FUC-loaded pickering emulsion (G-SPI-COS/FUC emulsion) with high encapsulation efficiency and small particle size was developed by using genipin-crosslinked soy protein isolate (SPI)-chitooligosaccharide (COS) nanoparticles as stabilizers. G-SPI-COS/FUC emulsion exhibited excellent stability under varying pH values, ionic strengths, and storage conditions. In vitro digestion experiments showed that G-SPI-COS/FUC emulsion controlled FUC release and enhanced its intestinal absorption and bioavailability. Furthermore, G-SPI-COS/FUC emulsion was more effective in preventing dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis than free FUC and FUC-loaded pickering emulsion stabilized by native SPI. These findings indicated that G-SPI-COS/FUC emulsion could serve as a promising delivery system for FUC, providing a novel approach to the prevention of IBD.