The　poor　water　solubility　and　instability　of　curcumin　hinders　its　widespread　application.　The　use　of　plant　proteins　as　delivery　vehicles　for　curcumin　can　effectively　improve　its　solubility　and　stability.　A　pH-controlled　method　was　used　to　realise　the　nanoencapsulation　of　curcumin　using　pea　protein　(PPI),　and　the　effects　of　pH　combination,　quality　concentration　of　curcumin　and　quality　concentration　of　pea　protein　on　the　loading　rate　of　pea　protein-curcumin　nanoparticles　were　investigated　by　one　-way　experiments.　Taking　the　loading　efficiency　and　loading　amount　as　indicators,　the　preparation　process　of　PPI-curcumin　nanoparticles　was　optimised　by　response　surface　methodology　experiments,　and　the　optimal　preparation　process　of　PPI-curcumin　nanoparticles　was　obtained,　i.e.　the　pH　combinations　of　pH　13　and　pH　8,　the　mass　concentration　of　curcumin　at　0.455　mg/mL,　and　the　mass　concentration　of　pea　protein　at　43.64　mg/mL.　The　PPI-Cur　nanoparticles　prepared　by　the　optimal　process　were　then　systematically　characterized　in　terms　of　particle　size,　＇-　potential,　appearance　and　morphology,　UV　spectra　and　secondary　structure　changes.　The　results　showed　that　the　average　particle　size　of　the　PPI-Cur　nanoparticles　was　(254.5±9.0)　nm,　the　ζ-potential　was　(-39.7±0.14)　mV,　the　PPI-Cur　nanoparticle　system　was　stable,　and　the　complex　interaction　between　curcumin　and　pea　protein　complexation　existed,　and　the　secondary　structure　of　PPI-Cur　nanoparticles　changed,　with　a　significant　decrease　in　β-folding　from　33.6%　to　25%　(P　©　2024　Chinese　Institute　of　Food　Science　and　Technology.　All　rights　reserved.