Construction of modified chitosan-ovalbumin mixed systems: enhancing quercetin delivery potential, stability and...

This study developed a non-covalent interaction-driven delivery system to overcome quercetin (Que)'s low solubility, poor bioaccessibility, and application challenges. Using food-grade matrices and layer-by-layer encapsulation, core-shell nanoparticles were fabricated. These feature electrostatic crosslinking between modified chitosan (GCS) and ovalbumin (OVA), plus hydrophobic Que encapsulation within OVA. Structural analysis confirmed electrostatic interactions between GCS amino groups and OVA carboxylate ions. OVA's hydrophobic cavities provided Que binding sites, with calcium ions stabilizing the structure. The ternary system (GOQ) showed significantly higher encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity than binary systems and maintained structural stability over 15 days of storage. During digestion, GCS protection reduced gastric degradation. GOQ enabled sustained Que release in the intestine (88.72 ± 1.27 % over 360 min), boosting Que bioaccessibility 3.39-fold. GOQ also exhibited a triple anti-glycation mechanism: suppressing early glycation, blocking advanced glycation end-product (AGEs) formation, and reducing protein oxidation/aggregation. This work provides a novel strategy for efficient polyphenol delivery and dietary-derived AGEs prevention.