To overcome the low water solubility and low bioavailability of curcumin (CUR), multiple delivery strategies have been proposed. Among these, cyclodextrin-based carriers have been widely used for the encapsulation and delivery of CUR. Cyclodextrins (CDs), as natural oligosaccharides, have been well known for their biodegradability, biocompatibility, non-toxicity, and internal hydrophobic and external hydrophilic structural features. This paper summarizes the recently reported CD-based carriers for encapsulating CUR. Particularly, the polymerization properties of CD self-assembly to enhance the encapsulation of CUR are discussed. In addition, the current progress on stimuli-responsive CD carriers for controlled release of CUR is described, which laid an important foundation for the development of CUR-based precision therapy in clinical practice. In conclusion, this review may provide ideas for the future development of a CD-based encapsulant for CUR.

A biodegradable photodynamic antibacterial film (PS-CF) was prepared using the casting method, with κ-Carrageenan (κ-Car) as the film-forming substrate and curcumin-β-cyclodextrin (Cur-β-CD) complex as photosensitizer. Chilled pork samples were coated with PS-CF and stored at 4 °C to investigate the effects of PS-CF combined with LED light irradiation (425 nm, 45 min) (PS+L+) on pork preservation during 10 days of storage. The total viable count (TVC) of bacteria, total volatile basic nitrogen value (TVB-N) and the pH of pork treated with PS+L+ were all lower than the control, and the water-holding capacity (WHC) was higher. Ten days later, the TVB-N value was 12.35 ± 0.57 mg/100 g and the TVC value was 5.78 ± 0.17 log CFU/g, which was within the acceptable range. Sensory evaluation determined that the color, odor, and overall acceptability of pork treated with PS+L+ were significantly better than the control. These findings suggest that PS+L+ treatment effectively extended the shelf life of chilled pork from ~4–5 to 10 days. Correlation analysis showed that the sensory quality of the chilled pork significantly correlated with total bacterial counts, TVB-N and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) (p < 0.05), suggesting that these biomarkers could be used as standard indicators for evaluating the freshness of chilled pork. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of Cur-β-CD photodynamic antibacterial film for the preservation of chilled pork and provide a theoretical basis for the application of the film for the preservation of fresh food in general.