Natural Protein and Lipid Carriers as Food Grade Nanocages for Delivering Bioactive Compounds with Improved...

Scientists have been keenly interested in using bioactive compounds as food supplements over the past few decades. Nevertheless, such components frequently show low stability, and solubility, and limited gastrointestinal tract bio accessibility restricts their efficacy. Numerous nanocages like carriers have been investigated to encapsulate nutraceuticals and improve their bioavailability to get around these problems. Protein and lipid carrier-based nanocages are 3D-case-like structures with an internal homogenous compartment isolated from the surrounding bulk material by lipid and protein barriers. Because of their superior physicochemical properties and distinctive structural features, protein cage-like nanoparticles (NPs) have recently attracted increased interest from various fields for use as nano-vehicles for delivering active compounds with improved physicochemical properties and bioavailability. The use of food-grade colloidal systems, such as solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNPs), micelles, and nano-structured lipid carriers (NLCs), for delivering bioactive substances is broadly reviewed in this article. In addition, it offers a critical evaluation of the preparation process, challenges in using lipids and proteins produced from plants to transport hydrophobic bioactive compounds, and strategies to enhance these materials' ability to do so. This information should benefit the rational development of functional and medicinal foods with supplements for efficient bioactive delivery.