Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 9, 2026
Preparation and Characterization of Nanoliposomes for the Entrapment of Bioactive Hydrophilic Globular Proteins
Published on: August 31, 2019
Development and characterization of high internal phase emulsions for lycopene encapsulation with safflower seed meal
Ke'er Xiao1, Lingyu Gao1, Qiuyu Lu1
1Engineering Research Center of the Chinese Ministry of Education for Bioreactor and Pharmaceutical Development, College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, No. 2888, Xincheng Street, Changchun 130118, China.
Abstract:
This study investigated the synergistic effect of ultrasound in combination with pH-shifting and heating modification on the physicochemical properties, structural characteristics, and emulsifying performance of safflower seed meal globulins (SMG). Furthermore, the efficacy of the modified protein (UHA-SMG) as a natural emulsifier was evaluated for preparing lycopene (LYC)-loaded high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs). Under the suitable modification conditions (ultrasonic power: 500 W, ultrasonic time: 5 min, temperature: 70 °C, pH: 9.0), UHA-SMG exhibited improved physicochemical properties, including altered micromorphology, reduced particle size and interfacial tension, as well as enhanced zeta-potential, surface hydrophobicity, wettability, and solubility. Structural characterization via far-UV circular dichroism, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy indicated that the modification altered the secondary and tertiary structures of SMG, as evidenced by a rise in α-helical content and the redistribution of internal hydrophobic groups and aromatic amino acids. At a concentration of 2.0% (w/v), UHA-SMG successfully stabilized oil-in-water HIPEs with an internal phase volume of 75%. These HIPEs demonstrated typical shear-thinning behavior, gel-like rheological characteristics (G' > G''), and excellent stability against centrifugation, heating, and long-term storage. For LYC encapsulation, the HIPEs formulated with 2.0% (w/v) UHA-SMG achieved a high encapsulation efficiency of 96.39 ± 1.34% and provided markedly enhanced stability of LYC against UV irradiation, thermal degradation, and storage compared to free LYC. In summary, the synergistic triple-modification strategy (ultrasound, heating, and pH-shifting) significantly enhanced the functionality of SMG, rendering it a promising candidate as a bio-based stabilizer for HIPEs with considerable potential in lipophilic bioactive ingredient delivery systems.
