Comparison in morphology, structure and functionality of curcumin‐loaded starch nanoparticles fabricated from short, medium and long chain‐length debranched cassava starches

Summary The objectives of this study were to investigate morphology and characteristics of curcumin‐loaded starch nanoparticles (CSNPs) fabricated from short, medium and long chain‐length debranched cassava starch using a nanoprecipitation method. The CSNPs fabricated from the long, medium and short chain‐length debranched starch (L‐CSNP, M‐CSNP and S‐CSNP) had the particle size of 90.7, 104.1 and 153.5 nm, respectively, with the polydispersity index of less than 0.5. After loading, the curcumin was complexed with helices of linear branching molecules of the debranched starch through hydrogen bonding. The M‐CSNP exhibited the highest loading efficiency (66.44%), followed by the L‐CSNP (35.62%) and S‐CSNP (29.74%). The curcumin loaded in the CSNPs had higher solubility and stability under thermal and UV light treatments as compared to pure curcumin. The antioxidant capacity of curcumin in the CSNPs was retained as much as pure one, and the CSNPs showed a control release of curcumin in the gastric buffers.