Development and application of resveratrol-encapsulated nanostructured lipid carriers for mulberry juice fortification

The physiological efficacy of resveratrol (Res) is limited by its inherent hydrophobicity and poor bioaccessibility. Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) have been engineered to overcome these pharmacokinetic bottlenecks. In this study, Res-NLCs were developed, characterized byuniform spherical morphology and high encapsulation efficiency (99.07%). Res-NLCs maintained relatively stable physicochemical properties under the evaluated storage conditions and exhibited enhanced intestinal transport potential, with an apparent permeability coefficient of 4.84 × 10^-6 cm/s. In a food matrix application (mulberry juice), the Res-NLCs acted as a robust delivery vehicle and a stabilizer for endogenous anthocyanins. Notably, the Res-NLCs increased anthocyanin storage retention by 7.28% and reduced anthocyanin loss by 283.9 mg/L. Dynamic digestion further confirmed that Res-NLCs protected the anthocyanins during the intestinal phase and modulated their release, thereby improving their potential bioaccessibility. These findings highlight the potential of Res-NLCs as multifunctional ingredients to enhance the nutritional profile and chemical stability of functional beverages.