Extraction, identification and application of gliadin from gluten: Impact of pH on physicochemical properties of unloaded- and lutein-loaded gliadin nanoparticles

In the present study, high purity gliadin was extracted from gluten by the marginally modified Osborne method and the effect of different pHs in the aqueous ethanol on the physicochemical properties of unloaded gliadin nanoparticles (UGNs) and lutein-loaded gliadin nanoparticles (LGNs) was investigated. The results revealed that the formation of UGNs and LGNs at diverse pHs was driven by a conjunction of hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions and hydrophobic effects, but their dominant roles varied at different pHs. pH also significantly impacted the surface hydrophobicity, secondary structure and aromatic amino acid microenvironment of UGNs and LGNs. LGNs at pH 5.0 and at pH 9.0 exhibited better loading capacity and could reach 9.7884 ± 0.0006 % and 9.7360 ± 0.0017 %, respectively. These two samples also had greater photostability and thermal stability. Half-lives of LGNs at pH 5.0 were 2.185 h and 54.579 h, respectively. Half-lives of LGNs at pH 9.0 were 2.937 h and 49.159 h, respectively. LGNs at pH 5.0 and LGNs at pH 9.0 also had higher bioaccessibility of lutein, with 15.98 ± 0.04 % and 15.27 ± 0.03 %, respectively. These findings yielded precious inspirations for designing innovative lutein delivery system.