Recent advancements on coloading of multiple hydrophobic bioactive compounds with polysaccharide-based carriers and their food applications

Abstract

The combined use of two or more hydrophobic bioactive compounds (HBCs) with different chemical properties have become an effective way to maximize their functions and mask their defects in food and cosmetic fields, which is mainly due to their synergistic and complementary effects. However, there are challenges in terms of their compatibility and competition for coencapsulation. Polysaccharide-based carrier systems provide a useful platform for all-in-one coencapsulation, multiprotection, and spatiotemporal codelivery of HBCs due to their structural advantages. By analyzing literatures in recent years, we provide basic principles, mechanisms, and beneficial effects with regard to coencapsulation of HBCs by polysaccharide-based carriers including micelles, aggregates, nanoparticles, vesicles, liposomes, hydrogels, oleogels and aerogels. Moreover, their representative applications are also discussed. This review attempts to provide a comprehensive insight on the advanced design and application of HBC-coloaded polysaccharide-based carriers via analyzing the orientation, location, and distribution of coencapsulated HBC molecules in their spatiotemporal structures during coloading. The ability of multiple HBCs to enter the interior of a single polysaccharide-based carrier is determined by properties, structures, interactions, and compatibility of HBCs and polysaccharide-based materials. Moreover, these aforementioned four aspects can be applied to regulate their corelease and bioactivities. Owing to these characteristics, the applications of HBC-coloaded polysaccharide-based carriers are emphatically elucidated from their potentials in protecting HBCs, modulating the corelease and bioavailability of HBCs, enhancing the qualities and functions of foods and dietary supplement, and innovating multifunctional food packaging. In the future, the multifunction of HBCs can be maximized via uncovering suitable HBC pairs and their relevant codelivery carriers.