Konjac glucomannan octenyl succinate as a novel encapsulation wall material to improve curcumin stability and bioavailability

A curcumin-loaded konjac glucomannan octenyl succinate (CKGOS) nanoemulsion with a high curcumin loading capacity was successfully prepared using a high-pressure homogenization method. In vitro stability tests and in vivo gastrointestinal propulsion assay indicated that curcumin is well protected by KGOS encapsulation to furnish colon-targeted delivery. What’s more, CKGOS showed good thermal process and storage stability, and has great potential applications in food processing. [Display omitted] •CKGOS nanoemulsion with a high curcumin loading capacity (1.25 mg/mL) was prepared.•In vitro and in vivo tests indicated that curcumin is well protected by KGOS.•CKGOS showed good thermal process and storage stability during food processing. Curcumin has been extensively used in the food and pharmaceutical industries due to its high biological activity. However, its instability and poor aqueous solubility result in low oral bioavailability, so developing an appropriate microcapsule wall material is crucial for the effective use of this ingredient. In this study, a curcumin-loaded konjac glucomannan octenyl succinate (CKGOS) nanoemulsion with a high loading capacity (1.25 ± 0.03 mg/mL) was prepared. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction suggested that curcumin was successfully encapsulated into the nanoparticles. The observed self-aggregating morphology indicated that CKGOS particles were spherical with a rough matte edge morphology. Both in vitro and in vivo stability tests indicated that KGOS could provide good protection for curcumin and furnish colon-targeted delivery. In addition, CKGOS has great potential in food processing applications because it shows good thermal processing and storage stability.