Gum arabic-coated nano-nutriosome for gastrointestinal delivery of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and application in yogurt as a real food system

Cyanidin-3- O -glucoside (C3G), a promising flavonoid with diverse biological properties, faces challenges in functional food application due to instability under various conditions. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a novel gum Arabic-coated nano-nutriosome (GA-C3G-NU) for promoting gastro-intestinal (GI) delivery of C3G and fortification of set-type yogurt (Ygr). The GI digestion study revealed that GA improved the stability of C3G-NU. After freeze-drying, FZD GA-C3G-NU maintained their nanosized, exhibited high encapsulation efficiency ≥90%, and an acceptable PDI ≤0.30. SEM analysis revealed crystal-like structure in GA-C3G-NU, while the XRD study confirmed their decreased crystallinity. Furthermore, the FZD GA-C3G-NU showed significantly controlled release profile ( p  < 0.05) of C3G. The GA-C3G-NU didn't negatively affect the yogurt's properties. It maintained the desirable acidity while enhancing water holding capacity, color, texture, microstructure, and compatibility with lactic acid bacteria. Overall, GA-C3G-NU could be a promising carrier for enhancing C3G's gastrointestinal delivery, with potential use in dairy products.