Emulsion Prepared with Auricularia polytricha (Mont.) Sacc. As a Direct Emulsifier for β-Carotene Encapsulation: Stability and Digestibility

β-Carotene is widely utilized in food systems due to its biological activities, but exhibits poor chemical stability and low bioavailability. This study utilized wholeAuricularia polytricha(Mont.) Sacc. powder as a direct emulsifier to establish a natural emulsion-based delivery system designed to enhance the stability ofβ-carotene. Under optimal conditions, using 7%Auricularia polytricha(Mont.) Sacc. powder (120 μm) and 1% oil phase fraction, microscopic analysis revealed that emulsion droplets were small and uniformly distributed, resulting in excellent long-term stability. After UV irradiation, the degradation rate ofβ-carotene in the emulsion was significantly lower than that ofβ-carotene directly dispersed in the oil phase.In vitrosimulated digestion indicated thatβ-carotene retention in the intestinal phase reached 9.2% in the emulsion system, 1.2 ± 0.23% higher than in the conventional oil-dissolved system. This strategy offers a practical approach for the high-value utilization of this fungal resource, streamlining industrial processes and reducing production costs.