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Tuning the amphiphilicity of agarose by grafting phenolic acids: A versatile approach for developing lutein-loaded
Liling Fu1, Tianyan Chen1, Xiaoyan Zhuang2
1College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, PR China; National R&D Center for Red Alga Processing Technology, Xiamen 361021, PR China; Fujian Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Marine Functional Food, Xiamen 361021, PR China.
Abstract:
In this study, three phenolic acids, namely 3,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid (DBA), 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DPA), and 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylpropanoic acid (DPPA), were grafted onto agarose molecules to improve the physicochemical and biological properties of agarose. DBA-grafted agarose (DBA-AG), DPA-grafted agarose (DPA-AG), and DPPA-grafted agarose (DPPA-AG) were prepared and used as encapsulation materials to construct a lutein-loaded emulsion gel delivery system. The results confirmed that phenolic acids were successfully grafted onto the agarose backbone via ester bonds, with a grafting degree of approximately 8 %. As the length of the phenolic acid side chain increased (DBA < DPA < DPPA), the agarose gel exhibited decreased strength, thermal stability, and transparency while displaying increased hydrophobicity and emulsifying activity. Phenolic acid grafting significantly enhanced the radical scavenging ability of agarose and improved its inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus (100 %) and Escherichia coli (78.44 %-100 %). DPPA-AG exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, while DBA-AG showed the best antibacterial effect. Moreover, phenolic acid grafting transformed agarose from a hydrophilic gel to an amphiphilic emulsion gel, greatly increasing lutein's encapsulation efficiency (87.3 %-94.2 %), chemical stability, and bioavailability. DPPA-AG demonstrated the optimal emulsifying activity and lutein encapsulation performance. In vitro hemolysis experiments indicated good prospects for applications in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.
