Factors impacting the antioxidant/prooxidant activity of tea polyphenols on lipids and proteins in oil-in-water emulsions

UV-A treatment of phenolic extracts impacts colour, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity

BACKGROUND

The unintended co-extraction of chlorophylls during the recovery of polyphenols from plant sources yields green-coloured phenolic extracts with limited use in colour-sensitive foods. This study aimed at decolourizing the ethanolic extracts of sugar beet leaves using a UV-A treatment (390 nm).

RESULTS

Exposure of the phenolic extracts to 30 UV-A LEDs at 8.64 J m-2 radiation dose decreased the total chlorophyll content by 69.23% and reduced the greenness parameter (-a*) significantly (P < 0.05) from 27.33 ± 0.32 to 8.64 ± 0.16. Additionally, UV-A treatment increased the content of most individual phenolic compounds (e.g. gallic acid, ferulic acid, etc.) significantly, resulting in an increase in the overall phenolic content in the extracts from 900.56 ± 14.11 μg g-1 fresh weight (FW) to a maximum of 975.09 ± 9.62 μg g-1 FW at 0.67 J m-2. However, rutin content had a significant decrease at the highest radiation dose (8.64 J m-2). The soluble sugar content (i.e. glucose and fructose) increased simultaneously with phenolic compounds after the UV-A treatment. Although the UV treatment reduced the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity, it had no significant effect on the ferrous chelating activity and the extract's ability to delay lipid oxidation in corn oil. The antioxidant activity index of the treated extract was comparable to that of butylated hydroxytoluene, a synthetic antioxidant.

CONCLUSION

Key findings of this study include successful decolourization of the extract, decomposition of bound polyphenols to their free form, and maintaining the antioxidant activity of the extract in the oil system after UV-A exposure. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Acid-hydrolyzed phenolic extract of parsley (Petroselinum crispum L.) leaves inhibits lipid oxidation in soybean oil-in-water emulsions

The antioxidant activity of the natural phenolic extracts is limited in particular food systems due to the existence of phenolic compounds in glycoside form. Acid hydrolysis post-treatment could be a tool to convert the glycosidic polyphenols in the extracts to aglycones. Therefore, this research investigated the effects of an acid hydrolysis post-treatment on the composition and antioxidant activity of parsley extracts obtained by an ultrasound-assisted extraction method to delay lipid oxidation in a real food system (i.e., soybean oil-in-water emulsion). Acid hydrolysis conditions were varied to maximize total phenolic content (TPC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity. When extracts were exposed to 0.6 M HCl for 2 h at 80 ℃, TPC was 716.92 ± 24.43 µmol gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/L, and DPPH radical scavenging activity was 66.89 ± 1.63 %. Not only did acid hydrolysis increase the concentrations of individual polyphenols, but it also resulted in the release of new phenolics such as myricetin and gallic acid. The extract's metal chelating and ferric-reducing activity increased significantly after acid hydrolysis. In soybean oil-in-water emulsion containing a TPC of 400 µmol GAE/L, the acid-hydrolyzed extract had an 11-day lag phase for headspace hexanal compared to the 6-day lag phase of unhydrolyzed extract. The findings indicated that the conversion of glycosidic polyphenols to aglycones in phenolic extracts can help extend the shelf-life of emulsion-based foods.

Mechanisms of polyphenols on quality control of aquatic products in storage: A review

Aquatic products are easily spoiled during storage due to oxidation, endogenous enzymes, and bacteria. At the same time, compared with synthetic antioxidants, based on the antibacterial and antioxidant mechanism of biological agents, the development of natural, nontoxic, low-temperature, better-effect green biological preservatives is more acceptable to consumers. The type and molecular structure of polyphenols affect their antioxidant and antibacterial effectiveness. This review will describe how they achieve their antioxidant and antibacterial effects. And the recent literature on the mechanism and application of polyphenols in the preservation of aquatic products was updated and summarized. The conclusion is that in aquatic products, polyphenols alleviate lipid oxidation, protein degradation and inhibit the growth and reproduction of microorganisms, so as to achieve the effect of storage quality control. And put forward suggestions on the application of the research results in aquatic products. We hope to provide theoretical support for better exploration of the application of polyphenols and aquatic product storage.

Formation mechanism of quinoa protein hydrolysate-EGCG complexes at different pH conditions and its effect on the protein hydrolysate-lipid co-oxidation in emulsions

This study aimed to investigate the interaction, structure, antioxidant, and emulsification properties of quinoa protein hydrolysate (QPH) complexes formed with (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) at pH 3.0 and 7.0. Additionally, the effect of pH conditions and EGCG complexation on protein hydrolysate-lipid co-oxidation in QPH emulsions was explored. The results indicated that QPH primarily interacted with EGCG through hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds. This interaction led to alterations in the secondary structure of QPH, as well as a decrease in surface hydrophobicity and free SH content. Notably, the binding affinity between QPH and EGCG was observed to be higher at pH 7.0 compared to pH 3.0. Consequently, QPH-EGCG complexes exhibited more significant enhancement in antioxidant and emulsification properties at pH 7.0 than pH 3.0. The pH level also influenced the droplet size, ζ-potential, and interfacial composition of emulsions formed by QPH and QPH-EGCG complexes. Compared to QPH stabilized emulsions, QPH-EGCG stabilized emulsions were more capable of mitigating destabilization during storage and displayed fewer lipid oxidation products, carbonyl generation, and sulfhydryl groups and fluorescence loss, which implied better oxidative stability of the emulsions. Furthermore, the QPH-EGCG complexes formed at pH 7.0 exhibited better inhibition of protein hydrolysate-lipid co-oxidation. Overall, these findings provide valuable insights into the potential application of QPH and its complexes with EGCG in food processing systems.

Chitosan/zein-based sustained-release composite films: Fabrication, physicochemical properties and release kinetics of tea polyphenols from polymer matrix

This study investigated the properties of chitosan/zein/tea polyphenols (C/Z/T) films and analyzed the release kinetics of tea polyphenols (TP) in various food simulants to enhance the sustainability and functionality of food packaging. The results revealed that TP addition enhanced the hydrophilicity, opacity and mechanical properties of film, and improved the compatibility between film matrix. 1.5 % TP film showed the lowest lightness (76.4) and the highest chroma (29.1), while 2 % TP film had the highest hue angle (1.5). However, the excessive TP (above 1 % concentration) led to a decrease in compatibility and mechanical properties of film. The TP concentration (2 %) resulted in the highest swelling degree in aqueous (750.6 %), alcoholic (451.1 %), and fatty (6.4 %) food simulants. The cumulative release of TP decreased to 16.32 %, 47.13 %, and 5.87 % with the increase of TP load in the aqueous, alcoholic, and fatty food simulants, respectively. The Peleg model best described TP release kinetics. The 2 % TP-loaded film showed the highest DPPH (97.13 %) and ABTS (97.86 %) free radical scavenging activity. The results showed TP release influenced by many factors and obeyed Fick's law of diffusion. This study offered valuable insights and theoretical support for the practical application of active films.

Waxy maize starch incorporated (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate can stabilize emulsion gel and improve antioxidant activity

A food-grade emulsion gel was stabilized using waxy maize starch (WS) incorporated (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) at different ratio (from 5 % to 20 %, w/w). The microstructure, rheological behavior, physical stability and antioxidant activity of emulsion gels were investigated using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM), and rheometer, etc. The results suggested that incorporated EGCG obviously affected the spatial configuration of WS hydrogel. The WS/EGCG hydrogels presented an excellent lipophilic capacity characterized by tightly adhering to linseed oil droplets in the emulsion gels. Moreover, the viscosity, viscoelasticity and physical stability of the emulsion gels stabilized by the WS/EGCG hydrogel matrices were significantly enhanced. The emulsion gel stabilized by the WS/EGCG hydrogel matrix (15 % EGCG) had long-term emulsifying stability because its emulsified phase volume fraction (77.14 %) remained stable for 30 days. Compared with typical natural and synthetic antioxidants in food and pharmaceutical processing, the emulsion gels stabilized by the WS/EGCG hydrogel matrices showed significant stronger DPPH (97.45 %) and ABTS•+ (97.97 %) free radical scavenging activity. These results demonstrate that WS/EGCG hydrogels can not only be used in food-grade matrix materials to stabilize emulsion gels but also improve the antioxidant activity of the emulsion gels.

Green approach for polyphenol extraction from waste tea biomass: Single and hybrid application of conventional and ultrasound-assisted extraction

Based on a green approach, the potential use of waste tea biomass (fiber and second sieving) with rich polyphenol content was investigated as an alternative source of polyphenol to achieve an economic added value. In addition, this study demonstrated a comparative approach to explore the most sustainable green extraction method by the assessment of single ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) at various frequencies (20, 35, and 200 kHz) and the hybrid operations of ultrasound (US) and thermal extraction (50 °C and 80 °C). As a result, it has been determined that waste tea biomass, with a polyphenol extraction rate of more than 80%, provides a higher recovery capacity than tea leaf (the highest polyphenol recovery rate of 72.5%) in almost all single operations. Among the single UAE, 20 kHz was expressed as the method succeeding with high recovery rates (84%) within 30 min for fiber waste. In contrast, the hybrid operation consisting of 20 kHz US (20 min) with heating at 80 °C (10 min) yielded the highest extraction efficiency with 92% in the same time interval more economically for second sieving waste tea biomass. Therefore, this study has shown that it is possible to utilize UAE alone or in combination with heat extraction from tea waste for environmentally friendly, rapid, and effective polyphenol extraction.

Preparation and in vitro characterization studies of astaxanthin-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers with antioxidant properties

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the astaxanthin-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (ASX-NLC) prepared using a high-pressure homogenization transport system for local application of astaxanthin. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to study the effect of microencapsulation on the properties of ASX-NLC. The mean size of ASX-NLC was about 108.43 ± 0.26 nm and PdI was 0.176 ± 0.002. The ASX-NLC had high encapsulation efficiency which was 95.69 ± 0.13%. Good light stability and temperature stability were shown at the ASX-NLC, indicating that the preparation process was feasible. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-pyridylohydrazinyl (DPPH) scavenging test showed that ASX-NLC could still play an antioxidant role. In vitro release studies showed that compared with an astaxanthin ethanol solution, an ASX-NLC could maintain astaxanthin release more effectively. In vitro permeation studies showed that ASX-NLC could increase astaxanthin retention in the skin. In conclusion, ASX-NLC could significantly enhance astaxanthin accumulation during dermal applications. The research results have important reference significance for local skin applications and provide a basis for the development of nanostructured lipid carriers. ASX-NLC might be suitable carriers for the local application of astaxanthin.

Interactions between tea polyphenols and nutrients in food

Tea polyphenols (TPs) are important secondary metabolites in tea and are active in the food and drug industry because of their rich biological activities. In diet and food production, TPs are often in contact with other food nutrients, affecting their respective physicochemical properties and functional activity. Therefore, the interaction between TPs and food nutrients is a very important topic. In this review, we describe the interactions between TPs and food nutrients such as proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids, highlight the forms of their interactions, and discuss the changes in structure, function, and activity resulting from their interactions.

Role of dietary tea polyphenols on growth performance and gut health benefits in juvenile hybrid sturgeon (Acipenser baerii ♀ × A. schrenckii ♂)

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary TPs on growth performance, intestinal digestion, microflora and immunity in juvenile hybrid sturgeon. A total of 450 fish (97.20 ± 0.18 g) were randomly divided into a standard diet (TP-0) or four treatments consisting of a standard diet supplemented with four concentrations of TPs (mg/kg): 100 (TP-100), 300 (TP-300), 500 (TP-500), and 1000 (TP-1000) for 56 days. The TP-300 significantly increased weight gain rate (WGR) and specific growth rate (SGR) (p < 0.05), and TP-1000 significantly increased the feed conversion ratio (FCR) (p < 0.05). TP-300 and TP-500 significantly increased intestinal trypsin, amylase, and lipase activities (p < 0.05). Besides, TP-300 significantly enhanced total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content (p < 0.05). Moreover, TP-300 decreased the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 8 (IL-8), and interleukin 1β(IL-1β) compared with TP-0 and TP-1000 (p < 0.05). In addition, the intestinal microbiota diversity in the TP-300 group was observably higher, the dominant microbiota was Bacteroidota, Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria and Firmicutes at the phylum level, Enterobacteriaceae, Nostocaceae and Clostridiaceae at the family level. The relative abundances of potential probiotics including Rhodobacteraceae and potential pathogens especially Clostridiaceae were the highest, and lowest, respectively. In conclusion, TP-300 altered the abundance of microbial taxa, resulting in enhancing the intestinal digestion, antioxidant status and non-specific immunity to improve the growth performance in juvenile hybrid sturgeon.

Regulation mechanism of curcumin-loaded oil on the emulsification and gelation properties of myofibrillar protein: Emphasizing the dose-response of curcumin

The regulation mechanism of curcumin (CUR) in the oil phase on the emulsification and gelation properties of myofibrillar protein (MP) was investigated. CUR enhanced the emulsifying activity index (EAI) of MP but decreased its turbiscan stability index (TSI) and surface hydrophobicity, which exacerbated oil droplet aggregation. Medium amounts (200 mg/L) of CUR changed the 3D network architectures of emulsion gels from lamellar to reticular, improving the gels' water-holding capacity (WHC), storage modulus, springiness, and cohesiveness. Besides, the LF-NMR revealed that CUR had limited effects on the mobility of immobilized and free water. The α-helix of MP in gels with medium amounts of CUR decreased from 51% to 45%, but the β-sheet increased from 23% to 27% compared to those without CUR. Overall, CUR has the potential to become a novel structural modifier in emulsified meat products due to its dose-response.

Epicatechin Inhibited Lipid Oxidation and Protein Lipoxidation in a Fish Oil-Fortified Dairy Mimicking System

In this study, a typical tea polyphenol epicatechin (EC) was investigated for its impact on the oxidative stability of whey protein isolate (WPI) in a fish oil-fortified emulsion. The oil-in-water emulsion system consisted of fish oil (1%, w/w), WPI (6 mg/mL), and EC (0.1, 1, and 2 mM), and the oxidation reaction was catalyzed by Fenton's reagent at 25 °C for 24 h. The results showed EC exhibited a dose-dependent activity in the reduction of lipid oxidation (TBARS) and protein carbonylation. A Western blot analysis demonstrated that protein lipoxidation was inhibited by EC via interrupting the covalent binding of lipid secondary oxidation products, MDA, onto proteins. In addition, protein lipoxidation induced a loss of tryptophan fluorescence, and protein hydrolysis was partially recovered by EC. The findings of this study provide an in-depth understanding of the performance of phenolic antioxidants in relieving lipid oxidation and subsequent protein lipoxidation in oil-containing dairy products.

Improvement of Oxidative Stability of Fish Oil-in-Water Emulsions through Partitioning of Sesamol at the Interface

The susceptibility of polyunsaturated fatty acids to oxidation severely limits their application in functional emulsified foods. In this study, the effect of sesamol concentration on the physicochemical properties of WPI-stabilized fish oil emulsions was investigated, focusing on the relationship between sesamol-WPI interactions and interfacial behavior. The results relating to particle size, zeta-potential, microstructure, and appearance showed that 0.09% (w/v) sesamol promoted the formation of small oil droplets and inhibited oil droplet aggregation. Furthermore, the addition of sesamol significantly reduced the formation of hydrogen peroxide, generation of secondary reaction products during storage, and degree of protein oxidation in the emulsions. Molecular docking and isothermal titration calorimetry showed that the interaction between sesamol and β-LG was mainly mediated by hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. Our results show that sesamol binds to interfacial proteins mainly through hydrogen bonding, and increasing the interfacial sesamol content reduces the interfacial tension and improves the physical and oxidative stability of the emulsion.

Interfacial effects of gallate alkyl esters on physical and oxidative stability of high fat fish oil-in-water emulsions stabilized with sodium caseinate and OSA-modified starch

Effects of sodium caseinate (SC) and its combination with OSA-modified starch (SC-OS; 1:1) alone and with n-alkyl gallates (C0-C18) on the physical and oxidative stability of high-fat fish oil-in-water emulsion were evaluated. SC emulsion contained the smallest droplets and highest viscosity due to the fast adsorption at droplet surfaces. Both emulsions had non-Newtonian and shear-thinning behavior. A lower accumulation of lipid hydroperoxides and volatile compounds was found in SC emulsion due to its better Fe²⁺ chelating activity. The incorporated short-chain gallates (G1 > G0 ∼ G3) in SC emulsion had a strong synergistic effect against lipid oxidation compared to that of SC-OS emulsion. The better antioxidant efficiency of G1 can be related to its higher partition at the oil-water interface, while G0 and G3 had a higher partition into the aqueous phase. In contrast, G8, G12, and G16 added emulsions indicated higher lipid oxidation due to their internalization inside the oil droplets.

Analysis of inhibition of guava (Psidium guajava l.) leaf polyphenol on the protein oxidative aggregation of frozen chicken meatballs based on structural changes

This study compared the effects of guava leaf polyphenol (GLP) on the aggregation and structural changes of myofibrillar proteins (MPs) from chicken meatballs, frozen for 6 months, with that of tea polyphenol (TP). The high antioxidation ability of 450 mg/L GLP was manifested by changes in 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DDPH), 2, 2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity, and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) in vitro. Compared with the control, the carbonyl, disulfide bond content, particle size, zeta potential and turbidity of sample with GLP decreased by 25.9 %, 17.7 %, 18.2 %, 11.4 % and 11.7 %, respectively, while the solubility of the sample, after freezing it for 6 months, increased by 14.8 %. Meanwhile, in sustaining the structural stability of MPs, the GLP-treated group exhibited better microstructure (scanning electron microscopy, SEM), lower free amino and sulfhydryl loss, higher α-helix structure and fluorescence intensity than the control. Our results showed that GLP significantly inhibited MP aggregation, and was superior to TP in terms of its particle size, solubility, and turbidity, sulfhydryl content (P < 0.05). Overall, it was demonstrated that GLP has the potential to inhibit protein aggregation and enhance structural stability during frozen storage.

Efficient Utilization of Tea Resources through Encapsulation: Dual Perspectives from Core Material to Wall Material

With the high production and consumption of tea around the world, efficient utilization of tea byproducts (tea pruning, tea residues after production, and drinking) is the focus of improving the economy of the tea industry. This review comprehensively discusses the efficient utilization of tea resources by encapsulation from the dual perspectives of core material and wall material. The core material is mainly tea polyphenols, followed by tea oils. The encapsulation system for tea polyphenols includes microcapsules, nanoparticles, emulsions, gels, conjugates, metal-organic frameworks, liposomes, and nanofibers. In addition, it is also diversified for the encapsulation of tea oils. Tea resources as wall materials refer to tea saponins, tea polyphenols, tea proteins, and tea polysaccharides. The application of the tea-based delivery system widely involves functionally fortified food, meat preservation, film, medical treatment, wastewater treatment, and plant protection. In the future, the coencapsulation of tea resources as core materials and other functional ingredients, the precise targeting of these tea resources, and the wide application of tea resources in wall materials need to be focused on. In conclusion, the described technofunctional properties and future research challenges in this review should be followed.

Impact of Phenolic Acid Derivatives on the Oxidative Stability of β-Lactoglobulin-Stabilized Emulsions

Proteins, such as β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg), are often used to stabilize oil-water-emulsions. By using an additional implementation of phenolic compounds (PC) that might interact with the proteins, the oxidative stability can be further improved. Whether PC have a certain pro-oxidant effect on oxidation processes, while interacting non-covalently (pH-6) or covalently (pH.9) with the interfacial protein-film, is not known. This study aimed to characterize the impact of phenolic acid derivatives (PCDs) on the antioxidant efficacy of the interfacial β-Lg-film, depending on their structural properties and pH-value. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analyses were performed to assess the radical scavenging in the aqueous and oil phases of the emulsion, and the complexation of transition metals: these are well known to act as pro-oxidants. Finally, in a model linseed oil emulsion, lipid oxidation products were analyzed over storage time in order to characterize the antioxidant efficacy of the interfacial protein-film. The results showed that, at pH.6, PCDs can scavenge hydrophilic radicals and partially scavenge hydrophobic radicals, as well as reduce transition metals. As expected, transition metals are complexed to only a slight degree, leading to an increased lipid oxidation through non-complexed reduced transition metals. At pH.9, there is a strong complexation between PCDs and the transition metals and, therefore, a decreased ability to reduce the transition metals; these do not promote lipid oxidation in the emulsion anymore.

Physicochemical Properties and Oxidative Stability of an Emulsion Prepared from (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Modified Chicken Wooden Breast Myofibrillar Protein

The deterioration of wooden breast myofibrillar protein (WBMP) causes a decline in its processing performance, and the protein becomes easier to oxidize. Previous studies have revealed that the use of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) may improve the physicochemical properties and oxidative stability of proteins in aqueous solutions. The effects of varying concentrations (0.01%, 0.02%, 0.03%, and 0.04% w/v) of EGCG on the physicochemical properties of a WBMP emulsion (1.2% WBMP/10% oil) and the inhibition of lipid and protein oxidation were studied. The results revealed that a moderate dose of EGCG (0.03%) could significantly (p < 0.05) improve the emulsion activity index (4.66 ± 0.41 m2/g) and emulsion stability index (91.95 ± 4.23%), as well as reduce the particle size of the WBMP emulsion. According to the micrographs and cream index, 0.03% EGCG retarded the phase separation by stopping the aggregation of droplets and proteins, thus significantly improving the stability of WBMP emulsions. During storage at 50 °C for 96 h, 0.03% EGCG inhibited lipid oxidation (lipid hydroperoxide and 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance formation) and protein oxidation (carbonyl formation and sulfhydryl loss). In contrast, lower and higher EGCG concentrations (0.01%, 0.02%, and 0.04%) demonstrated shortcomings (such as weak antioxidant capacity or protein over-aggregation) in improving the quality and oxidation stability of the emulsion. In conclusion, a moderate dose of EGCG (0.03%) can be used to improve the quality and shelf life of WBMP emulsions.

Inhibitory mechanisms of polyphenols on heme protein-mediated lipid oxidation in muscle food: New insights and advances

Lipid oxidation is a major cause of quality deterioration that decreases the shelf-life of muscle-based foods (red meat, poultry, and fish), in which heme proteins, particularly hemoglobin and myoglobin, are the primary pro-oxidants. Due to increasing consumer concerns over synthetic chemicals, extensive research has been carried out on natural antioxidants, especially plant polyphenols. The conventional opinion suggests that polyphenols inhibit lipid oxidation of muscle foods primarily owing to their strong hydrogen-donating and transition metal-chelating activities. Recent developments in analytical techniques (e.g., protein crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, fluorescence anisotropy, and molecular docking simulation) allow deeper understanding of the molecular interaction of polyphenols with heme proteins, phospholipid membrane, reactive oxygen species, and reactive carbonyl species; hence, novel hypotheses regarding their antioxidant mechanisms have been formulated. In this review, we summarize five direct and three indirect pathways by which polyphenols inhibit heme protein-mediated lipid oxidation in muscle foods. We also discuss the relation between chemical structures and functions of polyphenols as antioxidants.

Characterization of entrapment behavior of polyphenols in nanostructured lipid carriers and its effect on their antioxidative activity

Polyphenols are widely used as antioxidant agents to protect human health. Resveratrol, kaempferol, and quercetin have been reported to have potent antioxidant activity; however, these compounds have many problems related to their practical application, such as instability and insolubility. Thus, a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) was utilized as a drug delivery system (DDS) to overcome these limitations. This study investigated the particle stability, drug loading performance, and antioxidant activity of polyphenols-incorporated NLCs. The particle size and distribution were suitable for DDS applications, and all the samples demonstrated good stability after 2 months of storage. Based on Raman spectroscopy analysis, polyphenols were successfully encapsulated in NLCs. Quantitative high-performance liquid chromatography analysis indicated that NLCs could load resveratrol more than kaempferol and quercetin. In addition, NLCs have successfully improved all the antioxidant activity per unit concentration of polyphenol (specific antioxidant activity) compared to the free polyphenols. Quercetin-incorporated NLCs showed the highest specific antioxidant activity. This result is the opposite of entrapment efficiency and actual antioxidant activity, most likely influenced by the location of entrapped polyphenol molecules. As it was performed, NLCs are highly recommended to be applied as an antioxidant delivery system.