Degradation Mechanisms, Encapsulation‐Based Stabilization, and Analytical Detection of Vitamin A

ABSTRACT Vitamin A is an important lipid‐soluble micronutrient essential for vision, immune function, and overall growth and development. However, vitamin A is unstable and susceptible to environmental factors because of its conjugated structure and inherent chemical reactivity. This often leads to oxidative deterioration and significant losses in nutritional value during food processing, storage, and cooking. This review integrates degradation kinetics, matrix‐dependent stability, and emerging encapsulation strategies, with a specific focus on how processing and cooking conditions influence vitamin A retention and bioavailability in real food systems. This review outlines the structural basis for vitamin A instability, explores its degradation mechanisms, including photo‐ and thermal‐degradation pathways, and the effect of environment, such as pH, moisture, and matrix interactions. How food processing and cooking affect the bioavailability and release kinetics of vitamin A is evaluated, highlighting the impact of long‐term storage on vitamin A stability and bioavailability. Moreover, recent stabilization strategies are explored, focusing on delivery systems that may enhance chemical stability, extend shelf life, and control the release and bioavailability of vitamin A upon consumption. The application depends on criteria such as oxygen barrier properties, thermal stability, scalability, and release kinetics, and the examples explored herein include lipid‐based nanoparticles, which provide strong oxidative protection and improved bioavailability, and electrospun fibers, which offer enhanced light shielding and controlled release; however, they face scalability limitations. Current methods for analytical detection and quantification during its degradation are also discussed. This review reveals a trend toward rapid, high‐throughput, and non‐destructive analytical techniques, including the use of portable devices for in situ analysis of oil systems, FT‐NIR spectroscopy with examples of rapid quantification in cereal matrices, and green HPLC approaches enabling the simultaneous detection of both fat‐ and water‐soluble vitamins. Importantly, this review highlights the need for tailored delivery systems that account for the effect of processing and cooking on vitamin A stability, retention, and efficacy within complex food systems.