Preparation, characterization and functional properties of ternary composite nanoparticles for enhanced water solubility and bioaccessibility of lutein

The present study aimed to improve the sustainable availability of insoluble polypeptide aggregates that are inevitably produced during protein hydrolysis. A controlled pH-response method was employed to process goat milk casein insoluble polypeptide aggregates and obtain soluble nano-delivery carriers (GMC). Zein-GMC-chitosan (Z-GMC-CS) ternary nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully designed by spontaneous assembly with enhanced solubility, stability, and bioaccessibility of lutein (Lut). Results showed that a novel ternary nanoscale stabilized hydrophilic particle (Lut-Z-GMC-CS) was successfully designed with a particle size of 122.8 ± 3.2 nm. Morphological results demonstrated the smooth spherical shape of the new ternary NPs. Successful encapsulation of Lut by these NPs was verified by FT-IR and XRD analysis. Incorporating GMC in Lut-Z-CS (Lut-Z-GMC-CS) NPs significantly improved their water solubility, stability, antioxidant activity, and bioaccessibility. The gastrointestinal digestion stability of Lut-Z-GMC-CS NPs could control the effective release of Lut into the intestine. Moreover, the ussing-chamber experiment indicated penetration of the ternary composite NPs into the intestinal wall to get absorbed by the body. These findings would facilitate the development of sustainable peptide by-products for novel high-quality delivery platforms.