Phycocyanin/tannic acid complex nanoparticles as Pickering stabilizer with synergistic interfacial antioxidant properties.

[Display omitted] • Phycocyanin (PC) and tannic acid (TA) were fabricated into nanoparticles (NPs). • The PC/TA mass ratio and pH modulated the physiochemical properties of PC-TA NPs. • PC-TA NPs well-stabilized the high internal phase emulsions under suitable conditions. • PC-TA NPs improved the oxidation resistance of the resulting emulsions. This study reported a type of phycocyanin (PC)-tannic acid (TA) complex nanoparticles (NPs) fabricated by simply mixing PC with TA at appropriate mass ratios. The assembly of PC-TA NPs was driven by secondary forces involving hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding. PC-TA NPs promoted formations of Pickering emulsions with an oil volume fraction (φ) of 0.1–0.8. The interfacial antioxidant ability of PC-TA NPs was evaluated by comparing the contents of hydroperoxides, malonaldehyde, and hexanal due to lipid oxidation. The results showed that PC-TA NPs retarded lipid oxidation more efficiently than did PC, TA, tween 20, or tween 80, which suggested the synergistic antioxidant action of PC and TA. Besides, the PC-TA NPs stabilized high internal phase emulsion facilitated a higher retention of β-carotene under UV irradiation. Altogether, our findings demonstrate that the modification of PC by TA represents a strategy to fabricate PC-TA NPs with enhanced emulsification and antioxidant efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]