Biomacromolecular composite microspheres based on sodium alginate and tremella fuciformis polysaccharide for enhanced protection and delivery of camellia oil: A comprehensive study in simulated digestion

This study presents the development of a novel polysaccharide biomolecule composite microsphere system based on sodium alginate (SA) and tremella fuciformis polysaccharide (TFP) for the encapsulation and controlled release of camellia oil (CO). The system leverages the synergistic properties of these two bioactive biopolymers to enhance the protection and bioavailability of CO during simulated digestion. The microspheres, characterized by their spherical structure and uniform particle size distribution, were comprehensively evaluated for stability, elemental composition, and thermal stability using techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results confirmed a significant improvement in the elemental composition and surface properties of the microspheres due to the incorporation of CO, which enhanced their stability. In simulated digestion experiments, the microspheres demonstrated excellent gastric acid tolerance and intestinal release, achieving a high encapsulation efficiency of 99.59 % and an oil loading capacity of 80.67 %, effectively protecting and targeting the release of CO. Moreover, the microspheres exhibited significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) and Escherichia coli ( E. coli ). Overall, the SA/TFP/CO microspheres represent an ideal delivery system for CO, demonstrating considerable potential in the fields of food science and biomedicine.