Emulsion-Based Nanostructures for the Delivery of Active Ingredients in Foods

Abstract

This review aims at presenting recent advancements on the design of novel emulsion-based nanostructures for an effective incorporation of active ingredients into foods. The specific characteristics of nanoemulsions, solid lipid nanoparticles, and double emulsions are highlighted. Nanoemulsions are oil-in-water emulsion with droplet sizes below 200 nm that are known to present high stability over time. Moreover, due to their reduced droplet size and therefore maximized active surface area, they are capable of enhancing the interactions with biological systems, such as foods. For instance, nanoemulsions present an improved functionality of active ingredients and a fast digestibility under gastrointestinal conditions leading to an optimal absorption of bioactive ingredients contained within them. Solid lipid nanoparticles are particularly effective for protecting lipophilic active ingredients in their lipid inner core, since the crystalline state of the lipid droplets can reduce the oxidative and degradation processes occurring in aqueous systems. Nevertheless, their formulation should be carefully selected in order to obtain the desired effect. Lastly, double emulsions are defined as emulsions of an emulsion. Therefore, their formation consists on the formation of a primary water-inoil emulsion and its subsequent further emulsification in a secondary aqueous system. This allows the encapsulation of hydrophilic active compounds in the inner aqueous phase. Their stabilization remains as a scientific challenge yet they present promising applications. The main key aspects for the formation, stabilization and their behavior during gastrointestinal conditions are addressed.

Benefits of curcumin in brain disorders

“…These emulsions of curcumin have been found to increase the oral bioavailability of curcumin. Numerous studies have reported on the emulsion‐based delivery systems for curcumin . Bergonzi et al found that a curcumin microemulsion formulation made up of food grade components increased its oral absorption by 70%.…”

“…Numerous studies have reported on the emulsion-based delivery systems for curcumin. [149][150][151][152] Bergonzi et al 153 found that a curcumin microemulsion formulation made up of food grade components increased its oral absorption by 70%. In addition, a self-microemulsion formulation of curcumin has been proven to increase the absorption of curcumin by 3.86 times as compared to conventional curcumin suspension when administered orally.…”

Contribution of soybean polysaccharides in digestion of oil-in-water emulsion-based delivery system in an in vitro gastric environment

“…In the body, the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is such that this continuous tube has its own characteristic pH level, containing the acidic stomach and the alkaline intestine (Khutoryanskiy, 2015). Therefore, there is a need for an emulsion-based delivery system specifically designed to control the digestion, release, and absorption of lipophilic components of the GIT (McClements and Li, 2010; Salvia-Trujillo et al., 2018a).…”

Synthesis, In Vitro Antioxidant Properties and Distribution of a New Cyanothiophene-Based Phenolic Compound in Olive Oil-In-Water Emulsions

“…Oil-in-water emulsions have gained attention as promising or potential carrier systems to incorporate hydrophobic bioactive compounds such as cyanothiophene inhibitors into aqueous pharmaceutical formulations [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. The parenteral method is one of the most frequent and effective routes for hydrophobic drug administration.…”