Edible beeswax-flaxseed oil nanostructured lipid carriers for improved β-sitosterol bioaccessibility: structural advantages and controlled release in dynamic digestion

This study developed nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) using edible beeswax and flaxseed oil to encapsulate β-sitosterol. Structural analysis revealed the formation of a less ordered lipid matrix with reduced crystallinity compared to pure beeswax, contributing to a high encapsulation efficiency of 92 %. Optimal formulation (beeswax: flaxseed oil 3:2, Tween 80: Polyglycerol fatty acid(PGE) 4:1 totaling 7 % emulsifier) and processing parameters (10 min homogenization, 200 W ultrasonic power for 4 min) yielded stable nanoparticles maintaining physical stability for 40 days across varying pH and temperature. In vitro digestion demonstrated that the NLCs effectively protected β-sitosterol from gastric degradation and enabled controlled intestinal release, achieving significantly higher bioaccessibility (43.9 %) compared to free β-sitosterol (12.1 %). These results highlight beeswax-flaxseed oil NLCs as a promising delivery system for enhancing the bioaccessibility of hydrophobic bioactive in functional foods.