Abstract: Lycopene is a functional fat-soluble carotenoid, its poor stability limits its bioavailability in food. The preparation of lycopene-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers by the ethanol injection-sonication method was optimized by central composite design combined with response surface methodology. The results showed that lycopene-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers were prepared as a pink suspension under the optimized conditions, with encapsulation efficiency of (90.84 ± 0.41)% and drug loading rate of (2.56 ± 0.01)%. The particle diameter of the product was (126.48 ± 3.87) nm, and polydispersity index 0.188 ± 0.028, and zeta potential (?48.53 ± 2.40) mV. After storage at 4 ℃ for 30 days, the encapsulation efficiency of lycopene was (84.49 ± 0.44)%, and particle diameter (135.48 ± 7.31) nm, indicating that the nanostructured lipid carriers can improve the stability of lycopene.

Key words: lycopene; nanostructured lipid carrier; ethanol injection method; central composite design- response surface methodology