In　this　study,　amphiphilic　conjugates　were　synthesized　by　conjugating　curcumin　(CUR)　to　a　food-derived　hydrophilic　hydroxyethyl　starch　(HES)　via　an　acid-labile　ester　linker.　The　self-assembly　of　the　conjugates　formed　uniform　micellar　nanoparticles　(HES-CUR　NPs)　with　a　desirable　drug　loading　efficiency,　excellent　colloidal　and　storage　stability,　as　well　as　acid-responsive　release　manner.　Besides,　the　formation　of　the　nanoparticles　increased　the　solubility　of　CUR　to　thousands　times　higher　than　free　CUR,　and　effectively　protected　the　loaded　CUR　from　degradation　upon　exposure　to　UV　light　and　high　temperature.　In　vitro　cytotoxicity　assay　and　radical　scavenging　experiments　demonstrated　that　the　HES-CUR　NPs　significantly　improved　the　cytocompatibility,　anticancer　and　antioxidant　activity　of　CUR　due　to　the　enhanced　solubility,　stability,　and　bioavailability.　The　HES-CUR　NPs　reported　herein　have　a　great　potential　in　developing　functional　food　or　pharmaceutical　formulations　for　preventing　or　treating　various　diseases　such　as　inflammatory　diseases　and　cancer.　©　2019　Elsevier　Ltd