Alleviation effect of lutein Pickering emulsion formed by casein-dextran conjugates through Maillard reaction against blue light retinal degeneration

With the increasing prevalence of electronic devices, awareness of the risks linked to blue light exposure has significantly heightened. Lutein, a powerful antioxidant, safeguards eye tissue by filtering blue light, while supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) enhances retinal function. Adequate intake of these nutrients can help reduce the potential damage from prolonged blue light exposure. The protective effects of lutein and algal oil stabilized with Pickering emulsion were investigated using casein-dextran (CD) conjugates via Maillard reaction. Microstructural analysis revealed a three-dimensional network structure surrounding oil droplets formed by CD conjugates. With the increase of the oil phase ratio from 55 % to 80 %, the average size of Pickering emulsion droplets decreased. Pickering emulsion demonstrated higher viscoelasticity, excellent recovery, thixotropy, and good thermal stability as the oil phase ratio increased. The retention of lutein in CD-75 % Pickering emulsions showed significant improvement under various conditions. Simulated gastrointestinal digestion demonstrated that CD-75 % Pickering emulsions effectively enhanced the lutein bioaccessibility from 19.97 % to 48.99 %. In vivo experiments showed that lutein-loaded Pickering emulsion could effectively relieve blue light-induced retinal degeneration in mice. These findings suggested that Pickering emulsion can serve as a delivery system to protect lutein, offering a nutritional intervention to mitigate blue light-induced retinal degeneration.