applied sciences  
Effect of Co-Encapsulated Natural Antioxidants with Modified Starch on the Oxidative Stability of \(\beta\)-Carotene Loaded within Nanoemulsions  
**[PERSON] 1**, [PERSON] 1, [PERSON] 2, [PERSON] 3,**4,**5,  
**[PERSON] 4**, [PERSON] 5, [PERSON] 1, [PERSON] 4,6,  
**[PERSON] 7, [PERSON] 8, and [PERSON] 1,**  
1 State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Food Safety and Quality Control in Jiangsu Province, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (A.A.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (A.R.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (S.K.)  
2 Department of Food Materials and Process Design Engineering, Gorgan University of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources, Gorgan 49165, Iran; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
3 Institute of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Sargodhu, Sargodhu 40100, Pakistan  
4 Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 10008, China; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (Q.S.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (M.U.)  
5 Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
6 Department of Food Science and Technology, Riphah International University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan  
7 Department of Food Technology of Plant Origin, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 31 Wogka Polskiego St., 60-624 Poznan, Poland; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
8 Department of Physics and Biophysics, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wogka Polskiego 38/42, 60-637 Poznan, Poland; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
9 Correspondence: [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (M.M.A.N.R.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (W.X.)  
**Abstract** \(\beta\)-Carotene (vitamin A precursor) and \(\alpha\)-tocopherol, the utmost energetic form of vitamin E (VE), are known to be fat-soluble vitamins (FSVs) and essential nutrients needed to enhance the growth and metabolic functions of the human body. Their deficiencies are linked to numerous chronic disorders. Loading of FSVs within nanoemulsions could increase their oxidative stability and solubility. In this research, VE and \(\beta\)-Carotene (BC) were successfully co-entrapped within oil-in-water nanoemulsions of carrier oils, including tuna fish oil (TFO) and medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), stabilized by modified starch and Tween-80. These nanoemulsions and free carrier oils loaded with vitamins were stored for over one month to investigate the impact of storage circumstances on their physicochemical characteristics. Entrapped bioactive compounds inside the nanoemulsions and bare oil systems showed a diverse behavior in terms of oxidation. A more deficiency of FSVs was found at higher temperatures that were more noticeable in the case of BC. VE behaved like an antioxidant to protect BC in MCT-based nanoemulsions, whereas it could not protect BC perfectly inside the TFO-loaded nanoemulsions. However, cinnamaldehyde (CIN) loading significantly enhanced the oxidative stability and FSVs retention in each nanoemulsion. Purity gum ultra (PGU)-based nanoemulsions comprising FSVs and CIN presented a greater BC retention (42.3%) and VE retention (90.1%) over one-month storage at 40 \({}^{\circ}\)C than Twee 80. The superior stability of PGU is accredited to the OSA-MS capabilities to produce denser interfacial coatings that can protect the entrapped compounds from the aqueous phase. This study delivers valuable evidence about the simultaneous loading of lipophilic bioactive compounds to enrich functional foods.  
fat-soluble vitamins; cinnamaldehyde; nanoemulsions; purity gum ultra; physicochemical stability