Fabrication of food-grade lipid nanodisc-based delivery systems: Structural characterization and self-assembly process

This study prepares food-grade nanodiscs using Tween 80 and lecithin. Initially, the formation process of the nanodiscs was observed, starting with the transformation of the hollow vesicle structure of lecithin into a notched vesicle structure, followed by the development of solid core nanodiscs, and ultimately into a cylindrical structure. The results from ITC indicated that hydrophobic interaction was the primary driving force behind the self-assembly of the nanodiscs with the binding ratio of lecithin to Tween 80 being 10:1. Owing to curvature effects, lecithin self-assembled into planar regions, while Tween 80 self-assembled into the edge regions. In comparison to hydrated liposomes, nanodiscs exhibited a smaller size, along with significant changes in molecular ordering, surface hydrophobicity, and microenvironment polarity of the phospholipid bilayers. Additionally, nanodiscs demonstrated superior encapsulation properties. This study elucidated the self-assembly process and structure of nanodiscs using food-grade ingredients, emphasizing their potential as delivery systems for food applications.