Boosting curcumin bioavailability with egg white protein aerogels: A sustainable supercritical CO₂-based approach for enhanced bioaccessibility, antioxidant activity, and anti-inflammatory effects

• Protein aerogels are novel carriers that enhance bioactives' function and efficacy. • Curcumin impregnation into protein aerogels improved its bioaccessibility. • Curcumin-loaded aerogels show anti-inflammatory effects and therapeutic potential in Caco-2 cells. • Curcumin-loaded aerogels from cold-set gelation improved transport through Caco-2 cells, boosting bioaccessibility. • Supercritical carbon dioxide is a green technology for bioactive innovation. This study introduces a novel approach to impregnate curcumin into egg white protein (EWP) aerogels using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO 2 ) technology, with aerogels fabricated through two different gelation methods. SC-CO 2 -assisted impregnation resulted in uniform curcumin distribution within the aerogel matrix, significantly enhancing its solubility, antioxidant activity, bioaccessibility, and bioactivity compared to free curcumin. Digestibility analysis confirmed the efficient breakdown of EWP aerogels by digestive enzymes, emphasizing their potential as food-grade, nutritious carriers for controlled release and nutraceutical delivery. Notably, the newly developed cold-set gelation method for EWP aerogel fabrication outperformed conventional heat-set gelation. Aerogels produced via cold-set gelation exhibited lower density, higher porosity, and greater curcumin loading capacity. These aerogels also demonstrated improved antioxidant activity and higher curcumin transport across Caco-2 cell monolayers. In vitro studies further revealed significant anti-inflammatory effects of the curcumin-impregnated aerogels in Caco-2 cells. These findings highlight the synergy between cold-set gelation and SC-CO 2 impregnation technology, presenting an innovative strategy to enhance curcumin loading, release, and bioavailability in EWP aerogels for potential nutraceutical applications.