Protective effect of hierarchical emulsions stabilised by oil/water droplets in lutein delivery

Summary In this study, lutein was encapsulated in a hierarchical emulsion (HE) stabilised by oil/water (O/W) droplets. The particle size and ζ‐potential of the HE did not considerably change after thermal treatment, and the retention rate of lutein (76.56%) was higher than that of bulk oil after 21 days of storage. The addition of lutein was found to inhibit lipid oxidation under both light and dark conditions. The results of in‐vitro digestion suggested that the free fatty acid release and bioaccessibility (32.51%) of the HE were higher than those of bulk oil. This study indicated that the HE prepared from soyasaponin‐stabilised O/W droplets as emulsifiers has application potential in the encapsulation of hydrophobic food functional factors; furthermore, this study provides delivery strategies for supplements and drugs.