Encapsulation of Antarctic krill oil and kaempferol co‐loaded nano‐liposomes in alginate‐chitosan hydrogel beads: improved stability and modified digestive behaviour

Summary In this study, alginate (NaAlg) and/or chitosan (CS) hydrogel beads were prepared to encapsulate Antarctic krill oil (AKO) and kaempferol (KL) co‐loaded nano‐liposomes. The SEM study confirmed that the hydrogel beads were spherical, in which nano‐liposomes was distributed evenly within the polymer network. The FTIR spectra indicated no evidence of any chemical interaction between nano‐liposomes and hydrogel beads. The hydrogel beads especially the NaAlg‐CS hydrogel beads caused decrease in the release of KL and AKO mostly own to the improved density of bead microstructure. Furthermore, the network structure in the hydrogel beads especially the NaAlg‐CS hydrogel beads successfully insulated oxygen to improve AKO oxidation stability and protected KL by preventing degradation under natural light, while maintaining its antioxidant capacity. Importantly, the hydrogel beads significantly reduced the release of free fatty acids during in vitro digestion compared to nano‐liposomes. In principle, these new delivery systems may combine the benefits of nano‐liposomes and hydrogel beads to encapsulate AKO and KL and broaden their applicability in food industry.