Abstract
The ability of nanoparticles from the plant protein zein to protect lutein from light degradation was studied under various conditions. Lutein-zein nanoparticles were synthesized, after zein purification, by anti-solvent precipitation. Particle sizes, ranging from 25 to 75 nm, measured by dynamic light scattering, were tuned by varying zein concentrations in the solvent phase (before anti-solvent precipitation), which was linked to the encapsulation efficiency. However, changes in particle sizes did not result in significant changes in photo-stability. Zein-lutein nanoparticles showed increased photo-stability of lutein when compared to lutein dispersions in water. To further promote the lutein stability, ascorbic acid was used as an antioxidant in the aqueous dispersion. The addition of ascorbic acid to lutein-zein particles resulted in dispersions with similar properties. However, the photo-stability of lutein in dispersions stabilized with ascorbic acid improved significantly compared to samples without ascorbic acid or to pure lutein dispersions (about 25% increased relative stability).