Zinc is an essential micronutrient in human body with diverse functions, however, due to the effect of dietary inhibitors of zinc absorption such as phytate, the bioavailability of zinc salts is too low. Nanoparticles were extensively applied as bioactive compounds carrier to improve their absorption and bioavailability. Here we showed that food-borne nanoparticles from undaria pinnatifida (UPFNs) as an efficient nanocarrier for zinc delivery. Water-soluble UPFNs were first prepared by hydrothermal synthesis and green purification methods and then chelated with zinc. The chelating optimization results showed that the most optimal pH was 10 and mass ratio of UPFNs to zinc was 1:3. Compared with the well dispersed sphere of UPFNs, the formed UPFNs-Zn complex presented the aggregation morphology. In addition, Zinc ions mainly interacted with active functional groups such as carboxyl and amino groups on the surface of UPFNs. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that UPFNs were spontaneously interacted with Zinc by electrostatic interaction with a negative Gibbs free energy change. Meanwhile, compared with commercial zinc sulfate, UPFNs-Zn showed higher stability both in phytic acid solution and the process of gastrointestinal digestion. Finally, no obvious cytotoxicity was found in UPFNs-Zn. These results revealed that UPFNs <u>might</u> be served as an efficient, stable, and safe nanocarrier for zinc delivery.

Food-borne nanoparticles from undaria pinnatifida as an efficient nanocarrier for zinc delivery

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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