Encapsulation of fucoxanthin in fatty acid-bovine serum albumin micelles to improve the stability, bioavailability, and bioefficacy

The poor processing adaptability and bioavailability of carotenoids tend to limit their application in the food industry. Dietary fatty acids (FAs) are, however, valuable agents for the intestinal absorption of carotenoids and, thus, were employed in this study to construct protein-based encapsulation systems that can improve the thermal and storage stability and intestinal absorption of fucoxanthin (FUCO). Results showed that all the non-covalently connected micelles fabricated via FAs and bovine serum albumin (BSA) obviously improved the thermostability of FUCO and increased its retention rate. Simultaneously, the half-life of FUCO was prolonged with the introduction of saturated FAs. The animal experiment revealed that the introduction of FAs enhanced the oral absorbability and in vivo antioxidation of FUCO, displaying distinguished metabolites of FUCO in vivo with the involvement of different FAs. These findings can contribute to the development of a promising strategy for synchronously enhancing the processing adaptability and bioefficiency of carotenoids.