Designing food microstructures to elicit specific physiological responses is crucial for advancing functional food innovation. Pickering emulsions were fabricated using starch nanoparticles with tailored amylose/amylopectin ratios, prepared by blending modified high-amylose (HAMG) and waxy maize (WMG) starch granules. Increasing amylopectin content progressively reduced droplet size, shifting from a unimodal distribution centered at 13.76 μm in pure HAMG systems to predominantly smaller droplets (~1.72 μm) in pure WMG emulsions. In vitro digestion demonstrated that amylose-rich emulsions preserved higher structural integrity and suppressed lipid hydrolysis via a more rigid interfacial barrier, whereas amylopectin-rich emulsions enhanced enzyme accessibility and free fatty acid release. In vivo murine studies further demonstrated that high-amylose Pickering emulsions delayed gastric emptying and reduced postprandial plasma triglyceride levels. Duodenal transcriptomic analysis revealed that rapid lipid flux in WMG-treated mice induced pronounced metabolic reprogramming, including upregulation of genes involved in fatty acid transport (fabp1/2), chylomicron assembly (apoa4), peroxisomal β-oxidation (acox2), mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, and immune-related pathways. Overall, these results demonstrate that interfacial engineering using starch particles enables precise regulation of lipid digestion and intestinal metabolic responses, providing a rational strategy for targeted functional and medical food design.

The purpose of this study was to develop a total nutrition emulsion suitable for post-gastrectomy patients. The effects of different protein types, maltodextrins with different dextrose equivalent (DE) values, and different oils on the stability of the emulsion were investigated by measuring the particle size and sedimentation rate, and the effects on blood glucose and body mass in post-gastrectomy mice were also assessed. Furthermore, the number of homogenization cycles, homogenization pressure and pH were optimized for the processing of the emulsion. The results showed that good stability was observed in the emulsion made with whey protein as a protein source, maltodextrin with a DE value of 12, and a mixture of peanut oil and caprylic triglyceride or capric triglyceride at a ratio of 2:1, which was most favorable for restoring blood glucose and body mass in post-gastrectomy mice. The emulsion processed by 7 homogenization cycles at 70 kPa and pH 7.0 had the smallest particle size, the lowest sedimentation rate and the best stability. The findings obtained in this study provide theoretical guidance for the research and development of special emulsion-type foods for post-gastrectomy patients.