Structure, stability and in vitro digestion of a novel zein-based oil gel delivery system loaded β-carotene

In this study, the stability and bioaccessibility of β-carotene were improved by dissolving β-carotene in an oleogel prepared from palm oil and monoglycerin to construct a zein-oleogel structure. The results obtained from laser confocal microscopy revealed the formation of a shell-core structure between zein and oleogel. Notably, the zein-oleogel exhibited higher retention of β-carotene compared to the oleogel under various conditions, including pH, temperature, light time, and storage temperature. Furthermore, during in vitro digestion, the release rate of β-carotene from the zein-oleogel increased by 10.39%, and the bioaccessibility of β-carotene to 45.79%, compared to that of the oleogel alone. Overall, this study provides valuable insights for the development of novel shell-core structured particles within the oleogel delivery system, specifically designed to efficiently deliver lipolytic functional components.