Sodium alginate enhances rheological properties and curcumin encapsulation in donkey myofibrillar protein Pickering emulsions: Molecular docking and experimental insights

This study systematically explored the effects of sodium alginate (SA) on the structural and interfacial properties of donkey myofibrillar protein (DMP), and the curcumin stability and delivery performance in the DMP-based Pickering emulsion. The results showed that SA interacted with DMP via hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces, increased surface hydrophobicity, and electrostatic repulsion. These interactions promoted the formation of the three-dimensional network within the emulsion continuous phase, significantly improving its rheological properties and storage stability. Molecular docking showed that SA enhanced the binding affinity between curcumin and DMP. Consequently, SA addition (optimal at 0.4%) significantly increased the curcumin embedding efficiency and stability ( P  < 0.05). In vitro digestion studies demonstrated that SA inhibited the rate of curcumin release during gastric digestion and improved its bioaccessibility by approximately 10%. This study provides a protein-polysaccharide-based strategy for developing stable Pickering emulsion systems for the effective delivery of hydrophobic bioactive substances.