Application of fucoxanthin-loaded probiotic membrane vesicles in dietary intervention of high-fat diet induced obese mice and color improvement for fruit juice

Development of nano-encapsulated bioactive compounds as nutritional interventions and food-grade additives presents a critical pathway for advancing translational applications in functional food development and health sciences. This study validates the dual efficacy of fucoxanthin-loaded probiotic membrane vesicles (FX-MVs) as both a nutritional intervention for high fat diet-induced obesity and a natural pigment for food applications. The results demonstrated that FX-MVs significantly suppressed body weight gain, decreased the ratio of white adipose tissue, and reduced serum and hepatic lipid levels in mice. Meanwhile, FX-MVs reshaped the gut microbiota composition and enhance microbial homeostasis. Furthermore, FX-MVs application markedly improved color attributes in fresh apple juice and preserved original flavor profiles in juice without introducing undesirable olfactory or gustatory. The work provided novel insights into fucoxanthin-loaded probiotic membrane vesicles as effective nutrition components in obesity intervention and natural colorant in food systems, demonstrating synergistic potential in both nutraceutical and technological applications.