Improved Physical and in Vitro Digestion Stability of a Polyelectrolyte Delivery System Based on Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembly Alginate–Chitosan-Coated Nanoliposomes

To improve lipid membrane stability and prevent leakage of encapsulated food ingredients, a polyelectrolyte delivery system (PDS) based on sodium alginate (AL) and chitosan (CH) coated on the surface of nanoliposomes (NLs) has been prepared and optimized using a layer-by-layer self-assembly deposition technique. Morphology and FTIR observation confirmed PDS has been successfully coated by polymers. Physical stability studies (pH and heat treatment) indicated that the outer-layer polymers could protect the core (NLs) from damage, and PDS showed more intact structure than NLs. Further enzymic digestion stability studies (particle size, surface charge, free fatty acid, and model functional component release) demonstrated that PDS could better resist lipolytic degradation and facilitate a lower level of encapsulated component release in simulated gastrointestinal conditions. This work suggested that deposition of polyelectrolyte on the surface of NLs can stabilize liposomal structure, and PDS could be developed as a formulation for delivering functional food ingredients in the gastrointestinal tract.