Eugenol-induced self-emulsification of gliadin-shellac hybrid composites for co-stabilization of vitamin K2 and D3

Vitamin K 2 (VK 2 ) and vitamin D 3 (VD 3 ) can synergistically promote calcium absorption and reduce the prevalence of osteoporosis. Given their hydrophobicity and environmental sensitivity, stabilizing both these vitamins is pivotal for their application. In this study, we designed shellac-gliadin composites (SGCs) with favorable amphiphilicity, yielding a self-emulsifying delivery system (SEDS) upon mild mixing with eugenol. By increasing eugenol/SGCs mass ratio, SEDS was transformed from spherical to a network-like structure, forming tunable topological nanostructures with tailorable delivery performance and bioavailability. Based on the dual-step process, VK 2 was encapsulated during shellac-gliadin assembly, while VD 3 was co-encapsulated via self-emulsification. The generated dual-vitamin self-emulsifying system (DSEDS) improved the stability under UV-light and long-term storage for both vitamins with high encapsulation capacities of 48.05 and 9.36 mg/g for VK 2 and VD 3 , respectively. The dual-step strategy introduced a novel approach for loading various fat-soluble nutrients, with potential applications in food and nutrition industry.