Work

Regulation of antioxidant stability and bioactivity of Epicatechin-Fe3+ nanoparticles by protein-polysaccharide Co-assembly strategy

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Epicatechin (EC), a potent antioxidant polyphenol in functional foods, suffers from poor solubility and rapid oxidative inactivation, limiting its stability and bioactivity. We developed uniform ternary nanoparticles (EFOC) via polyphenol–protein–polysaccharide co-assembly, using EC–Fe³⁺ coordination networks as the core, crosslinked with ovalbumin (OVA) and chitosan quaternary ammonium salt (CQAS). EFOC features an embedded hydrophobic core formed by OVA and an outer shell stabilized by CQAS via hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions, forming a dual-layer protective structure. After 30 days, EFOC retained >88% DPPH• and >85% ABTS•⁺ radical scavenging retention rates, markedly outperforming binary assemblies. Stored EFOC also restored SOD, CAT, and GSH, suppressed TNF‑α, IL‑6, and IL‑1β in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, and enriched SCFA-producing bacteria (Bifidobacterium, Phascolarctobacterium) in colonic fermentation, enhancing acetate and propionate production. This dual-layer mechanism integrating hydrophobic embedding and electrostatic-hydrogen bonding provides long-lasting antioxidant activity, cellular protection, and microbiota modulation, offering a strategy for stable polyphenol-based functional foods.

Source: Current Research in Food Science

DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2026.101604