ABSTRACT In the study, hydrolyzed pea protein isolate–chitosan (HPPI–CS) was prepared by limited enzymatic hydrolysis for encapsulation of astaxanthin in Pickering emulsions. The structural characteristics of HPPI and HPPI–CS nanoparticles were analyzed to illustrate the stabilization mechanism of Pickering emulsions stabilized by HPPI–CS nanoparticles. Furthermore, physicochemical properties of emulsion, and encapsulation efficiency of astaxanthin in the Pickering emulsion were studied. The results showed that the particle size of HPPI decreased by 18.3%, with an increase of 1.3% in α‐helix, 1% in β‐turn, 1.7% in random coils, and a decrease of 4% in β‐sheet. These alterations rendered the structure of HPPI more pliable, enhancing its capacity to adhere to the oil–water interface. The addition of a high oil phase resulted in an increase of the viscosity of HPPI–CS Pickering emulsion, leading to the formation of a gel network structure. This enhanced the stability and encapsulation performance of the emulsion for astaxanthin in vitro. This study offers a fresh perspective on the formation of Pickering emulsion, and a new approach for delivering astaxanthin for digestion.
Liu et al. (Fri,) studied this question.