Mechanisms for the encapsulation of lipophilic polyphenols in protein/polysaccharide complexes or conjugates‐based nanocarriers

Abstract Traditional heat processing technology restricts the direct development of lipophilic polyphenols (LPPs)‐fortified foods. For achieving a balance between high retention of biological activity and optimal edible quality, encapsulation of LPPs by proteins/polysaccharide complexes or conjugates‐based nanocarriers (PPCCNs) as food ingredients has become a conventional approach to address this issue. Protein/polysaccharide interaction‐based nanocarriers primarily include nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, and nanogels, and each exhibits excellent encapsulation for LPPs and shows remarkable potential in food fortification. At the preparation level, bottom‐up and top‐down methods have emerged as classic techniques for fabricating PPCCNs for LPPs encapsulation. Regarding the encapsulation mechanisms, whether under noncovalent or covalent bonding conditions, the process primarily involves denaturation unfolding and self‐aggregation of protein molecules, facilitating the formation of protein aggregates with supramolecular structures. During encapsulation, polysaccharides modify protein structures through electrostatic interactions or glycation, participating in the regulation of protein disassembly and the reconstruction of supramolecular structures. Within the protein‐based supramolecules, hydrophobic cavities serve as the primary binding sites for LPPs, achieving their encapsulation through the synergistic action of hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonds, and van der Waals forces. Elucidating these encapsulation mechanisms is crucial for refining the methodology of LLPs encapsulation in PPCCNs, thereby enabling the industrial‐scale production of fortified foods.