Construction of edible dock protein–polysaccharide micelles for delivering myricetin

Abstract BACKGROUND Myricetin (Myr), a flavonoid compound exhibiting antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and anti‐obesity properties, suffers from limited bioavailability due to inherent hydrophobicity, thermosensitivity and photosensitivity. To overcome these limitations, we engineered edible dock protein (EDP)–edible dock polysaccharide (EDPS) composite micelles to enhance Myr's encapsulation efficiency and stability. RESULTS The highest encapsulation efficiency of Myr was 92.5% when the concentration of EDPS was 7.5 g kg −1 . The zeta potential, particle size and polydispersity index of the Myr‐EDP‐EDPS composite micelles were − 21.3 mV, 512.6 nm and 0.35 under this condition, respectively. Meanwhile the hydrophilicity and surface tension of the composite micelles were increased with the enhancement of EDPS concentration. Both Fourier transform infrared and X‐ray diffraction spectroscopy indicated that EDPS was successfully coated on the surface of the Myr‐EDP micelles. The encapsulation by EDPS further enhanced stability of Myr, resulting in 98.42% retention after 3 months at 4 °C and a 2.7‐fold increase in ultraviolet stability. In addition, the main driving forces were hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces during the formation of the Myr‐EDP‐EDPS composite micelles. In vitro experiments exhibited that the EDPS‐coated Myr‐EDP composite micelles enhance gastric stability of Myr by 1.38‐fold and enable its effective release in the small intestine. CONCLUSION The EDP‐EDPS composite micelle system effectively enhances the encapsulation and stability of Myr. This nanotechnology represents a highly promising strategy for developing functional food ingredients featuring optimized stability. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.