Characterization, antioxidant capacity, and bioaccessibility of Coenzyme Q10 loaded whey protein nanoparticles

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is one of the most popular dietary supplements in the United States of America. However, the bioavailability of CoQ10 is limited due to its poor water solubility and chemical form. In this study, CoQ10-loaded whey protein nanoparticles were prepared to improve the antioxidant activity and bioaccessibility of CoQ10. The results showed that the nanoparticle size depended on the whey protein-to-CoQ10 mass ratio and ranged from 50 to 200 nm. The zeta potential was relatively high, and the encapsulation efficiency of CoQ10 was over 98%. Analysis of differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectra demonstrated that amorphous CoQ10 was associated with whey protein mainly by hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions in the nanoparticles. Encapsulation improved the in vitro antioxidant activity of CoQ10 (p < 0.05) and its bioaccessibility (p < 0.05) during simulated gastrointestinal digestion. This encapsulation technology may be useful for encapsulating similar functional ingredients.