An enzymatically glycosylated protein-polysaccharide polyphenol terpolymer was synthesized based on transglutaminase (TGase) catalyzed glucosamination of ovalbumin (TGaseOVA) combined with chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) and tea polyphenols (TP) generating a TGaseOVA-COS-TP (TCTP) complex. This terpolymer was used in Pickering emulsion (TCTPE), emulsifier systems to increase freeze-thaw stability and control vitaminD 3 (VD 3 ) delivery. The tea polyphenols further enhanced the stability of gel network. Following three freeze-thaw cycles, TCTPE coalescence decreased as compared to non-Pickering control and the melting time of an ice cream model was prolonged. The Pickering emulsion effectively encapsulated and delivered VD 3. The VD 3 encapsulation efficiency (EE) in the ice cream prepared by TCTPE-VD 3 was 95.8 %, the bioavailability 84.5 %, and the free fatty acids (FFA) were absorbed at a high rate up to 100% in a Caco-2 cell bioassay-based simulated intestinal digestion system. This ice cream demonstrated notable VD 3 protecting and delivery effects. This study presents an approach that builds upon previously reported protein-polysaccharide-polyphenol ternary complexes, demonstrating enhanced freeze-thaw stability and VD 3 delivery performance in an ice cream model. The findings highlight the potential of Pickering emulsion systems for developing functional frozen desserts with improved stability and nutritional value. • Enzymatically glycosylated protein-polysaccharide polyphenol (TCTPE) stabilized emulsions imparting high freeze-thaw stability in an ice cream model • TCTPE can effectively encapsulate VD 3 for targeted delivery. • Ice cream prepared with TCTPE coated with VD 3 had prolonged melting time. • TCTPE increased the bioavailability of VD 3 .
Zhu et al. (2026) studied this question.