Ovalbumin-proanthocyanidin‑sodium alginate conjugate-based oleogels: Construction, characterization and resveratrol delivery performance

Resveratrol (Res) is a bioactive compound with limited application in food and pharmaceuticals due to its poor solubility, low stability and limited bioavailability. To address these challenges, this study developed novel ovalbumin-proanthocyanidin‑sodium alginate (OVA-PC-SA) conjugate-based oleogels, and investigated the effect of conjugate concentration on the properties of oleogels and Res's delivery performance. Results indicated that oil binding capacity exceeded 99% at conjugate concentrations of 0.4–1.0%, and the hardness, gel strength and thermal stability of the oleogels were enhanced significantly with increasing conjugate concentration. All oleogels contained β-type crystals and exhibited superior oxidative stability compared to unstructured oil. At conjugate concentrations of 0.2% and 1.0%, the oleogels exhibited high encapsulation efficiencies (87.47% and 91.10%), loading capacities (99.10 and 102.23 mg/g), and significantly improved Res's in vitro bioaccessibility (80.53% and 85.06%) compared to Res-loaded oil (75.41%). The oleogels enhanced the controlled release of lipophilic bioactive substances, demonstrating their potential as effective carriers.