Cold plasma degradation of Agaricus blazei Murill polysaccharides modulates the physicochemical characteristics of nano‑selenium and in vitro gastrointestinal Se release behavior

Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) are a novel supplement with low toxicity but high instability. Polysaccharides are commonly used to stabilize selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) to enhance their bioactivity. However, the physicochemical properties of polysaccharide-stabilized SeNPs can be influenced by the molecular weight of polysaccharides, which is a lack of in-depth study. In this study, Agaricus blazei Murill polysaccharides (AbMP) were degraded via cold plasma treatment to obtain AbMP with a lower molecular weight, which were then used to prepare AbMP-SeNPs. Further, their physicochemical characteristics and in vitro simulated digestion were investigated. The plasma degradation mechanism of polysaccharides was revealed to be the breakage of glycosidic bonds, accompanied by the formation of C O groups. After degradation, AbMP with a lower molecular weight decreased the particle size of AbMP-SeNPs and improved their storage stability. As the molecular weight of AbMP decreased, the Se release mechanism of AbMP-SeNPs transformed from Fickian release to non-Fickian diffusion during the simulated intestinal digestion. This study offers valuable insights for optimizing polysaccharide-stabilized SeNPs through adjusting the molecular weight of polysaccharides.