Zein/tannic acid complex nanoparticles‐stabilised emulsion as a novel delivery system for controlled release of curcumin

Summary The present work was aimed to evaluate the potential of the gel‐like Pickering emulsions (50%, v/v, oil) stabilised by zein/tannic acid (TA) complex colloidal particles (ZTPE) as a new encapsulation system of lipophilic ingredients. Compared with sodium caseinate‐stabilised emulsions (SCE) and bulk oil, the better protective effects of ZTPE on the chemical stability of curcumin were observed when they suffered from UV light, and the lipid oxidation rate remarkably reduced in ZTPE. Also, the zein particle layers loaded with TA around the oil droplets can provide protection against harsh gastric environment, facilitating to slow down the release of free fatty acids (FFA) and curcumin during in vitro simulated digestion. These findings show that ZTPE have a good potential to act as an efficient encapsulating agent to protect functional ingredients from degradation and control their release during digestion, which can further improve the bioavailability of bioactive ingredients.