食品运载体系构建及其对活性成分负载与应用场景开发

Nanoencapsulation is an attractive technique used for incorporating essential oils in foods. Thus, our main goal was to formulate a novel nanoemulsion (NE) with nanoscale droplet size and lowest interfacial tension in the oil–water interface, contributing positively to the stability and the enhancement of essential oil potential. Thereby, response surface methodology (RSM), with mixture design was used to optimize the composition of the NE lipid phase. The essential oil combinations were encapsulated through high-pressure homogenization (HPH) with the binary emulsifier system (Tween 80: Gum Arabic). Then, the electrophoretic and physical properties were evaluated. We also conducted a follow-up stability and antimicrobial study that examined the stabilization mechanism of optimal NE. Thereafter, the effect of nanoencapsulation on the essential oil composition was assessed. The RSM results were best fitted into polynomial models with regression coefficient values of more than 0.95. The optimal NE showed a nanometer-sized droplet (270 nm) and lower interfacial tension (~11 mN/m), favoring negative ζ-potential (−15 mV), showing good stability under different conditions—it synergistically enhances the antimicrobial potential. GC-MS analysis showed that the use of HPH affected the active compounds, consistent with the differences in linalool and 2-Caren-10-al content. Hence, the novel nanometric delivery system contributes to food industry fortification.

Abstract Application of Pickering emulsions in food systems is often limited by their compatibility and their effectiveness in delivering food actives. In this work, we developed a model Pickering emulsion hydrogel system using chitosan as the Pickering emulsifier and Ca-alginate hydrogel beads as the carrier. The synergistic effects between the two materials on the physicochemical stability of the hydrogel formed and the delivery of the immobilized emulsions were investigated. The Ca-alginate hydrogel was found to efficiently immobilize the chitosan-stabilized Pickering emulsions with an immobilization efficiency exceeding 99%, even at a high oil loading of 70% v/v and a chitosan concentration as low as 0.1% w/v. Both the adsorbed chitosan particles on the oil-water interfaces and excess non-adsorbed chitosan particles interacted electrostatically with the alginate matrices to enhance the hydrogel network strength. In comparison to the hydrogel beads containing Tween-80-stabilized emulsions and non-stabilized emulsion, the hydrogels containing Pickering emulsion were significantly more stable under high osmotic pressure and in the presence of low concentrations of destabilizing ions. In the in vitro studies, the Ca-alginate matrices prevented the release of the emulsions at pH 1.2. The emulsions were fully released at pH 7.4 and the release rate was found to be influenced by the concentration of chitosan particles. Interestingly, the chitosan particles remained adsorbed on the oil droplets upon release. This work demonstrates that the alginate-based chitosan-stabilized Pickering emulsion hydrogel system could be an effective immobilization and delivery system for food applications.

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Bioactive compounds (BACs) have attracted much attention due to their potential health benefits. However, such substances have problems such as difficulty dissolving in water, poor stability, and low intestinal absorption, leading to serious limitations in practical applications. Nowadays, food colloidal delivery carriers have become a highly promising solution due to their safety, controllability, and efficiency. The use of natural macromolecules to construct delivery carriers can not only regulate the solubility, stability, and intestinal absorption of BACs but also effectively enhance the nutritional added value of functional foods, improve sensory properties, and extend shelf life. Moreover, smart-responsive colloidal delivery carriers can control the release characteristics of BACs, thus improving their absorption rate in the human body. This review describes the characteristics of several typical food colloid delivery carriers, focuses on their physical properties from static structure to dynamic release, summarizes their applications in delivery systems, and provides an outlook on the future development of food colloid delivery carriers. The different compositions and structures of food colloids tend to affect their stability and release behaviors, and the different surface properties and rheological characteristics of the carriers predestine their different application scenarios. The control of in vivo release properties and the effect on food media should be emphasized in the future exploration of safer and more controllable carrier systems.

As a natural polyphenol, curcumin has been used as an alternative to synthetic preservatives in food preservation. Different from previous reviews that mainly focus on the pH-responsive discoloration of curcumin to detect changes in food quality in real time, this paper focuses on the perspective of the delivery system and photosensitization of curcumin for food preservation. The delivery system is an effective means to overcome the challenges of curcumin like instability, hydrophobicity, and low bioavailability. Curcumin as a photosensitizer can effectively sterilize to preserve food. The practical fresh-keeping effects of the delivery system and photosensitization of curcumin on foods (fruits/vegetables, animal-derived food, and grain) were summarized comprehensively, including shelf-life extension, maintenance of physicochemical properties, nutritional quality, and sensory. Future research should focus on the development of novel curcumin-loaded materials used for food preservation, and most importantly, the biosafety and accumulation toxicity associated with these materials should be explored.

ABSTRACT The target delivery of sensitive components to get the intended benefits is a challenge for the global food industry. One of the principal strategies used to boost individualized absorptivity, nutrient stability, and enhanced food quality is the application of liposomal systems in the food industry, which allows controlled release of bioactive compounds. Lipid-oriented encapsulation strategies such as liposomes are superior for encapsulating sensitive components, increasing product solubility and bioavailability, and accurately targeting encapsulated content in food and nutraceutical production. In this review, the nature, composition, and different methodologies for the preparation of liposomes, such as the Bangham Method, ethanol injection method, microfluidic channel method, and freeze-drying method summarized. Moreover, the crucial role of liposomes in delivering sensitive bioactive compounds to cure different health maladies has been emphasized.

Most of the functional substances in food are absorbed in the small intestine, but before entering the small intestine, the strong acid and enzymes in the stomach limit the amount that can reach the small intestine. Therefore, in this paper, to develop a delivery system for functional food ingredients, maintain the biological activity of the ingredients, and deliver them to the target digestive organs, preparation of starch-based functional food nano-microcapsule delivery system and its controlled release characteristics were reviewed. Embedding unstable food active ingredients in starch-based nano-microcapsules can give the core material excellent stability and certain functional effects. Starch-based wall materials refer to a type of natural polymer material that uses starch or its derivatives to coat fat-soluble components with its hydrophobic cavities. The preparation methods of starch-based wall materials mainly include spray drying, extrusion, freeze drying, ultra-high pressure, coagulation, fluidized bed coating, molecular inclusion, chemical, and enzymic methods. The controlled release of functional food can be achieved by preparing starch-based nano-microcapsules to encapsulate the active agents. It has been reported that that compared with traditional embedding agents such as gelatin, acacia gum, and xanthan gum, starch-based functional food nano-microcapsule delivery system had many good properties, including improving antioxidant capacity, bioavailability, probiotics, and concealing bad flavors. From this review, we can learn which method should be chosen to prepare starch-based functional food nano-microcapsule delivery system and understand the mechanism of controlled release.

Bioactive food components have potential health benefits but are highly susceptible for degradation under adverse conditions such as light, pH, temperature and oxygen. Furthermore, they are known to have poor solubilities, low stabilities and low bioavailabilities in the gastrointestinal tract. Hence, technologies that can retain, protect and enable their targeted delivery are significant to the food industry. Amongst these, microencapsulation of bioactives has emerged as a promising technology. The present review evaluates the potential use of casein micelles (CMs) as a bioactive delivery system. The review discusses in depth how physicochemical and techno-functional properties of CMs can be modified by secondary processing parameters in making them a choice for the delivery of food bioactives in functional foods. CMs are an assembly of four types of caseins, (αs1, αs2, β and κ casein) with calcium phosphate. They possess hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties that make them ideal for encapsulation of food bioactives. In addition, CMs have a self-assembling nature to incorporate bioactives, remarkable surface activity to stabilise emulsions and the ability to bind hydrophobic components when heated. Moreover, CMs can act as natural hydrogels to encapsulate minerals, bind with polymers to form nano capsules and possess pH swelling behaviour for targeted and controlled release of bioactives in the GI tract. Although numerous novel advancements of employing CMs as an effective delivery have been reported in recent years, more comprehensive studies are required to increase the understanding of how variation in structural properties of CMs be utilised to deliver bioactives with different physical, chemical and structural properties.

This review explores the extensive literature on starch particle-stabilized Pickering emulsions for encapsulating bioactive compounds in food products. These emulsions offer superior stability and unique properties for delivering bioactive compounds (such as polyphenols, carotenoids, fatty acids, and vitamins) in food systems such as sauces, dairy products, and functional foods. Encapsulation preserves the bioactivity of these compounds and enhances targeted delivery, offering potential nutritional and health benefits. Starch, although naturally hydrophilic and requiring modifications to enhance its functionality, is gaining increasing attention as a particle for stabilizing Pickering emulsions in foods systems. Various modifications, including chemical and structural changes, affect the functionality of starch in emulsions. This review discusses the key factors influencing emulsion stabilization, including particle and oil characteristics, as well as production methods, such as mechanical techniques. Research on the encapsulation of bioactive compounds using starch-stabilized emulsions and methods for their characterization are also presented. This review further identifies areas requiring more research, including alternative particle modification techniques, emulsion responses to external stimuli (pH, temperature), interactions between bioactive compounds and particles, their effects on digestion and nutrition, and the production of double emulsions for enhanced bioactive compound delivery.

Nanotechnology plays a pivotal role in food science, particularly in the nanoencapsulation of bioactive compounds, to enhance their stability, bioavailability, and therapeutic potential. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the encapsulation of bioactive compounds, emphasizing the characteristics, food applications, and implications for human health. This work offers a detailed comparison of polymers such as sodium alginate, gum Arabic, chitosan, cellulose, pectin, shellac, and xanthan gum, while also examining both conventional and emerging encapsulation techniques, including freeze-drying, spray-drying, extrusion, coacervation, and supercritical anti-solvent drying. The contribution of this review lies in highlighting the role of encapsulation in improving system stability, controlling release rates, maintaining bioactivity under extreme conditions, and reducing lipid oxidation. Furthermore, it explores recent technological advances aimed at optimizing encapsulation processes for targeted therapies and functional foods. The findings underline the significant potential of encapsulation not only in food supplements and functional foods but also in supportive medical treatments, showcasing its relevance to improving human health in various contexts.

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Polyphenolic compounds are used for treating various diseases due to their antioxidant and anticancer properties. However, utilization of hydrophobic compounds is limited due to their low bioavailability. In order to achieve a greater application of hydrophobic bioactive compounds, hydrogel beads based on biopolymers can be used as carriers for their enhanced incorporation and controlled delivery. In this study, beads based on the biopolymers-κ-carrageenan, sodium alginate and poloxamer 407 were prepared for encapsulation of curcumin. The prepared beads were characterized using IR, SEM, TGA and DSC. The curcumin encapsulation efficiency in the developed beads was 95.74 ± 2.24%. The release kinetics of the curcumin was monitored in systems that simulate the oral delivery (pH 1.2 and 7.4) of curcumin. The drug release profiles of the prepared beads with curcumin indicated that the curcumin release was significantly increased compared with the dissolution of curcumin itself. The cumulative release of curcumin from the beads was achieved within 24 h, with a final release rate of 12.07% (gastric fluid) as well as 81.93% (intestinal fluid). Both the in vitro and in vivo studies showed that new hydrogel beads based on carbohydrates and poloxamer improved curcumin’s bioavailability, and they can be used as powerful carriers for the oral delivery of different hydrophobic nutraceuticals.

In recent years, starch nanoparticles (SNPs) have attracted growing attention due to their unique properties as a sustainable alternative to common nanomaterials since they are natural, renewable and biodegradable. SNPs can be obtained by the breakdown of starch granules through different techniques which include both physical and chemical methods. The final properties of the SNPs are strongly influenced by the synthesis method used as well as the operational conditions, where a controlled and monodispersed size is crucial for certain bioapplications. SNPs are considered to be a good vehicle to improve the controlled release of many bioactive compounds in different research fields due to their high biocompatibility, potential functionalization, and high surface/volume ratio. Their applications are frequently found in medicine, cosmetics, biotechnology, or the food industry, among others. Both the encapsulation properties as well as the releasing processes of the bioactive compounds are highly influenced by the size of the SNPs. In this review, a general description of the different types of SNPs (whole and hollow) synthesis methods is provided as well as on different techniques for encapsulating bioactive compounds, including direct and indirect methods, with application in several fields. Starches from different botanical sources and different bioactive compounds are compared with respect to the efficacy in vitro and in vivo. Applications and future research trends on SNPs synthesis have been included and discussed.

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Microencapsulation techniques establish a protective barrier around a sensitive compound, reducing vulnerability to external influences and offering controlled release. This work evaluates microencapsulation of Brazilian seed known as pink pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) extract incorporated with green propolis extract, (main propolis font from the South America native plant Baccharis dracunculifolia DC) to enhancement antioxidant activity through synergic interaction, comparing to the extracts individually. Four treatments were produced using maltodextrin and combined with gum arabic as encapsulating agent, employing two different microencapsulation technique applied (spray drying and freeze drying) to assess their impact on physicochemical properties. The incorporation of gum arabic into matrix yielded higher encapsulation efficiency values, exhibiting significant differences for both encapsulation techniques. Combining the two encapsulation agents afforded greater protection of the bioactive compounds, resulting in an increase of approximately 31 % in the inhibition of the DPPH● radical. In controlled release analysis, maltodextrin exhibits the best protective effect on total phenolic compounds during intestinal release, whereas combining maltodextrin and gum arabic enhanced protection during gastric phase. Microcapsules may contribute to the protection of important bioactive compound, possessing a wide range of applications such as flavors encapsulation in food industry, lipids, antioxidants and pharmaceutical industry for controlled drug release.

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Abstract To improve the stability of zein core-shell structure microcapsule and realize intestine-specific release of lipophilic bioactive compounds, the β-carotene-loaded microcapsule was prepared by zein cross-linked with citric acid (CA) for the first time. The antioxidant activity of β-carotene was not affected by preparation process. Compared to uncross-linked microcapsule (UCM), the CA cross-linked microcapsule (CCM) had higher β-carotene encapsulation efficiency (94.4% vs. 91.4%), greater shell thickness (161 nm vs. 140 nm) and denser shell structure. Additionally, the CCM had better stability under thermal, freeze-thaw and ionic strength treatments. The fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) and circular dichroism (CD) analysis showed that there existed hydrogen bonding and interactions between zein and CA, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) data revealed the thermal stability and crystallinity intensity of zein/CA complex were improved. The CCM was more stable in simulated gastric fluids and β-carotene bioaccessibility was significantly improved in simulated intestine fluids (72.4% vs. 48.5%).

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The characteristics of bioactive compounds from guava (Psidium guajava L.) leaf extract, their biological activity, and their technological applications are critical topics in many engineering fields. Guava leaf extract is rich in bioactive compounds, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, terpenes, alkaloids, etc. Bioactive compounds from guava leaf exhibit notable synergistic effects in enzyme inhibition, as well as antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities. Natural bioactive compounds are complicated due to their sensitivity and instability during storage, but their use is promising. Thus, for bioactive compound protection, advanced techniques such as the encapsulation, microemulsion, and nanosuspension of such natural bioactive compounds can be a promising approach. These methods are particularly important for the development of natural preservatives serving as additive agents, which have significant industrial relevance. However, sufficient scientific evidence is required to make a health claim on and to promote the functional benefits of guava leaf extract. This review focuses on recent research into guava leaf extract and its technical roles. Demonstrations of the chemical structure of bioactive compounds are addressed, besides discussing their analytical methods, nutritional bioavailability, biological activity, and synergy effects. Furthermore, this review study considers the methods used to protect the active compounds and technological applications in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetic products.

Abstract Bioactive compounds are mostly prone to decomposition during the production process, storage, and severe gastrointestinal conditions. Therefore, their potential application as functional ingredients in many food products has opened a new horizon in designing novel food-grade delivery systems. Protein-based delivery vehicles have been extensively applied for this purpose. The stability of such systems is substantially affected by destabilizing conditions such as pH change and high ionic strength, thereby affecting bioavailability and stability of the encapsulated bioactive compound. Protein-polysaccharide Maillard-type conjugates are one of the latest food-applicable carriers and promising attractive methods of delivering nutraceuticals. Recently, these types of carriers have been introduced to improve the bioavailability and stability of nutraceuticals and nutrients and to create novel functional foods. The present paper reviews the most recent potential applications of Maillard conjugates for designing delivery systems; i.e., oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion, nanoemulsion, double emulsions, nanoparticles, nanogels, and microencapsulation. It also highlights the structures/compositions of Maillard conjugates used for delivery in food. Moreover, the gastrointestinal fate of Maillard conjugate-based bioactive-loaded delivery systems has been discussed.

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With the increasing attention on food safety and health promotion, the development of natural, non-toxic and biodegradable encapsulation materials is upcoming in food system. Cyclodextrin-based metal-organic frameworks (CD-MOFs) are promising edible MOFs currently reported, consisting of cyclodextrins and alkali metal ions with different crystal configurations and cavity sizes. CD-MOFs not only maintain advantages of common MOFs such as highly porous structure, diversified functional sites, unique host-guest interactions, but also bring the desirable features of CDs such as nontoxicity, biocompatibility, and environmental friendliness. CD-MOFs possessed good properties of internal and external hydrophilicity, adsorption and separation, and biocompatibility. The loading of active ingredients into CD-MOFs can enhance their stability, targeted delivery and controlled release. These features make CD-MOFs great potential in applications in biomedicine, chemical products, environment protection, as well as food industry. Here, the most advanced progress in the study on the structure, synthesis and physicochemical properties of CD-MOFs was introduced. Then, the current status of the application of CD-MOFs in active ingredients loading, protection, targeted delivery and slow release in food matrix were comprehensively summarized, especially the relevant reports in the past five years. The potential opportunities and prospects for the development of novel complexes with CD-MOFs are envisioned.

Zea mays (corn) seeds were coated via aqueous layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolytes. Electrostatic force microscopy confirmed controlled multilayer buildup. No adverse effects on seed health or germination were observed. As one of the first studies of layer-by-layer coatings directly on seeds, this approach offers a sustainable alternative of seed coatings.

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Recently, there has been an accelerating interest in novel biocompatible wound dressings made of nano-sized materials, especially nanofibers. Electrospun nanofibers provide high surface area and mimic the extracellular matrix which enhances biocompatibility. Besides, nanofibrous structures have high active ingredient loading capacity as a result of their high surface-to-volume ratio and porosity. In the present study, curcumin-loaded poly(ω-pentadecalactone-co-δ-valerolactone)/gelatin (PDL-VL/Gel) nanofibrous membranes were fabricated to be used for healing skin wounds. Poly(ω-pentadecalactone-co-δ-valerolactone) copolymer has been enzymatically synthesized in previous studies, thus it improves the originality of the membrane. It was aimed to obtain a synergetic effect and increase the novelty of the work by blending synthetic and natural polymers. Moreover, it was preferred to provide antibacterial activity by the incorporation of a herbal ingredient (curcumin) as a natural alternative to commercial antibiotics. Varied amounts of curcumin (5-25%, w:v) were electrospun together with PDL-VL/Gel (equal volume ratio) polymer blend (fiber diameters ranged between 554-1074 nm) and several characterizations (morphological and molecular structure, wettability characteristics, and thermal behavior) were applied to examine the curcumin incorporation. Afterwards, in vitro curcumin release studies were carried out and mathematical modeling was applied to release data to clarify the transport mechanism. Curcumin release profiles comprised of an initial burst release in the first hour followed by a sustained release through 24 h. Based on the antibacterial activity test results, 15% curcumin loading ratio was found to be sufficient for the treatment of skin wounds infected by Gram-negative (E. coli) and Gram-positive (S. aureus and B. subtilis) bacteria. Additionally, nanofibrous membranes did not lead to cytotoxicity, and curcumin content further enhanced the viability of fibroblasts. Thus, the presented antibacterial nanofibrous membrane is suggested to be applied for the treatment of wound infections and accelerating the healing process.

Nanoparticles (NPs) of three poorly water-soluble BCS class II active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) (clozapine (CLO), curcumin (CUR) and carbamazepine (CBMZ) with zeta potentials -28.5 ± 2.5, -33 ± 1.5 and -13 ± 1.5 mV respectively) were produced, stabilized and isolated into the solid state with the help of Montmorillonite (MMT) clay carrier particles. The nanoparticles of clozapine (27 nm), curcumin (170 nm) and carbamazepine (30 nm) were produced and stabilized in suspension using a reverse antisolvent precipitation technique in the presence of 'as received' MMT carrier particles (∼30 μm) and/or MMT carrier particles whose surface had been slightly modified with a cationic protein, protamine sulphate salt (PA). The resulting nanoparticle carrier composites were isolated directly from suspension into a solid state form by simple filtration followed by air-drying. The API dissolution rates from these dried NP-carrier composites were comparable with those of the respective stabilized API nanoparticles in suspension up to maximum CLO, CUR and CBMZ loadings of 23%, 21.8% and 33.3% (w/w) respectively, although surface modification of the MMT carrier particles with PA was needed for the CLO and CUR NP-carrier composites in order to preserve the fast API nanosuspension-like dissolution rates at higher API loadings. For both of these APIs, the optimal loading of PA on MMT was around 4 mg/g, which likely helped to limit aggregation of the API nanoparticles at the higher API loadings. Interestingly, no MMT surface modification was needed to preserve fast API dissolution rates at higher API loadings in the case of the CBMZ NP-carrier composites. This discrimination among the three APIs for carrier particle surface modification was previously observed in reported studies by our group for three other APIs, namely valsartan, fenofibrate and dalcetrapib. When examined together, the data for all six APIs suggest a general trend whereby API nanoparticles with zeta potentials more positive than around -25 mV do not require carrier particle surface modification with PA in order to preserve their fast dissolution rates from NP-carrier composites at higher API loadings. Thus, this study offers a potentially effective means of transforming poorly water soluble BCS Class II APIs into fast dissolving solid dosage NP-carrier composites, whereby the surface properties of the carrier particle can be tuned with prior knowledge of the zeta potential of the API nanoparticles.

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The administration of natural antioxidants is considered to be a prevention strategy for chronic diseases and a useful tool for the healthcare system to reduce the administration of expensive and often not effective treatments. The chemical characterization of a methanolic extract (AJ) of Ajuga reptans L. was performed, and its antioxidant activity was evaluated. AJ and the major compounds, characterized by chromatographic techniques as phenylpropanoids and iridoids, were able to reduce the Reactive Oxygen Species levels in cancer cell lines (melanoma, A375, cervical cancer, HeLa, and alveolar adenocarcinoma, A549), stimulated by E. coli lipopolysaccharide. However, a clinical translation of these results encountered a significant limitation represented by the poor water solubility and bioavailability of the extract and compounds. Consequently, a hydro-soluble powder system (AJEP3) was developed by spray-drying encapsulating AJ into a multi-component solid matrix that is based on L-proline and hydroxyethylcellulose as loading and coating agents, and lecithin as solubility enhancer. The technological approach led to a satisfactory process yield (71.5%), encapsulation efficiency (99.9%), and stability. The in vitro water dissolution rate of the bioactive compounds appeared to be improved with respect to the extract, suggesting higher feasibility in the manufacturing and administration; even the in vitro biological activity of the produced multi-component AJEP3 was clearly enhanced.

As an emerging technology, 3D food printing holds great promise for achieving customization and precision in nutrition. The potential of multiphase gels as functional inks is discussed. Multiphase systems such as structurally modified or enhanced Pickering emulsions and bigels, facilitate the stable loading of both water- and fat-soluble active ingredients, promoting nutritional diversity and customization. Meanwhile, suitable printing conditions and individualized distribution of inks further enable effective customization of nutrition. In addition, the advantages of 3D food printing in regulating the structure and properties of the functional inks are comprehensively analyzed and discussed from the perspective of utilizing different active ingredients efficiently. During the extrusion process of 3D food printing, the microstructure of the functional ink is regulated by various printing parameters (like printing temperature, nozzle shear and extrusion pressure) to improve the bioaccessibility of different active ingredients. After deposition, the disintegration behavior of functional inks during digestion and the release process of active ingredients are affected by their macroscopic characteristics (like geometric features and multi-compartmental distribution). 3D food printing technology holds the promise of promoting the effective utilization of various nutrients by using the principle of "precise control of the release of various active ingredients through personalized adjustment of the structure and properties of functional inks".

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Functional factors show additive effects in the same nutraceutical food. In this study, a core-shell structure based on soy protein isolate (SPI) and pectin was constructed as a delivery system for vitamins C and E under neutral (pH 7.0) and acidic environment (pH 4.0). The SPI-vitamin-pectin complex formed at pH 4.0 showed larger particle size, higher turbidity, lower fluorescence intensity, and higher vitamin E encapsulation efficiency than those formed at pH 7.0. Also, the addition of vitamin C significantly enhanced the vitamin E encapsulation efficiency in the particles. Furthermore, the antioxidant properties of DPPH, ABTS, and hydroxyl radicals were increased by the addition of vitamin C, maximum values of 77%, 82%, and 65%, suggesting that vitamins C and E have additive antioxidant effects. These findings proposed a simple, structured protein-polysaccharide-based food-grade delivery system, which could serve as the basis for the design of products having multiple functional factors.

Nowadays, nanostructures made of biopolymers, such as proteins and polysaccharides, have gathered the growing attention of food scientists. In this study, pumpkin leaves from field crop side streams were processed to produce the protein isolate. The leaf protein isolate was investigated given the ability to encapsulate cobalamin (vitamin B12) in a blend with pullulan by electrospinning method. The starting blend solutions were characterized regarding the key factors that influence the formation of the fibers: viscosity, charge density carried by the jet, and surface tension. The results showed that the addition of the protein isolate (1% w/v) increased the conductivity of the pullulan solution (5% w/v), from 0.163 mS/cm to 1.420 mS/cm and the viscosity from 1.74±0.07 to 8.34±0.09 mPas. Cobalamin (at a concentration of 0.3 mg/mL) decreased the conductivity (0.978 mS/cm) and slightly increased the surface tension and viscosity of the final solution. SEM micrographs showed the formation of beads-on-fiber structures after the electro-hydrodynamic processing of the solutions. The protein caused the reduction of the beads compared to the beads obtained from neat pullulan (176.68 nm vs. 357.52 nm), while the mean fiber diameter was not affected (~22.5 nm). The combination of biopolymer pullulan and protein-rich pumpkin leaf extract has shown the properties of a potential carrier for the model vitamin.

Abstract Background Food-grade aerogels are solid materials possessing high surface area, high porosity, and ultra-low density. Until today, numerous aerogels have been fabricated from polysaccharides, proteins, and seed mucilages which fulfill the requirements for food applications. Meanwhile, food industries have placed higher priority on the development of healthy foods through the incorporation of functional ingredients. However, the protection of these sensitive ingredients from adverse conditions is highly challenging. Therefore, the fabrication of food-grade aerogels and impregnating them with desired functional ingredients is the rapidly emerging trend. Scope and approach The objective of the current review is to highlight the influence of various production conditions on the end structural properties of each food-grade aerogels. The recent findings on the impregnation method, impregnation efficiency, and controlled release properties of food-grade aerogels loaded with various functional ingredients are noteworthy. Therefore, the study was framed to discuss relevant research reports in four sections viz-polysaccharide aerogels, protein aerogels, seed mucilage aerogels, and their role as a carrier matrix of functional ingredients for food applications. Key findings and conclusion The end structural properties significantly differ between each food-grade aerogels based on the production parameters and methods employed. Food-grade aerogel as a carrier matrix of functional ingredients protects the micronutrients, healthy oils, and bioactive compounds from degradation, enhances their bioavailability, and controls their release into the target site. However, the challenges associated with the incorporation of impregnated food-grade aerogels into real food systems must be addressed.

The most common carrier for encapsulation of bioactive components is still simple emulsion. Recently, bio-based novel emulsion systems such as multiple emulsions (MEs) and Pickering emulsions (PEs) have been introduced as innovative colloidal delivery systems for encapsulation and controlled release of bioactive compounds. Multiple PEs (MPEs), which carries both benefit of MEs and PEs could be fabricated by relatively scalable and simple operations. In comparison with costly synthetic surfactants and inorganic particles which are widely used for stabilization of both MEs and PEs, MPEs stabilized by food-grade particles, while having health-promoting aspects, are able to host the "clean label" and "green label" attributes. Nevertheless, in achieving qualified techno-functional attributes and encapsulation properties, the selection of suitable materials is a crucial step in the construction of such complex systems. Current review takes a cue from both MEs and PEs emulsification techniques to grant a robust background for designing various MPEs. Herein, various fabrication methods of MEs and PEs are described comprehensively in a physical viewpoint in order to find key conception of successful formulation of MPEs. This review also highlights the link between the underlying aspects and exemplified specimens of evidence which grant insights into the rational design of MPEs through food-based ingredients to introduces MPEs as novel colloidal/functional materials. Their utilization for encapsulation of bioactive compounds is discussed as well. In the last part, instability behavior of MPEs under various conditions will be discussed. In sum, this review aims to gain researchers who work with food-based components, basics of innovative design of MPEs.

Abstract Phenolic acids are natural compounds with potential therapeutic effects against various diseases. However, their incorporation into food and pharmaceutical products is limited by challenges such as instability, low solubility, and reduced bioavailability. This systematic review summarizes recent advances in phenolic acid encapsulation using food-grade carrier systems, focusing on proteins, lipids, and polysaccharides. Encapsulation efficiency, release behavior, and bioavailability are examined, as well as the potential health benefits of encapsulated phenolic acids in food products. Strategies to address limitations of current encapsulation systems are also proposed. Encapsulation has emerged as a promising method to enhance the stability and bioavailability of phenolic acids in food products, and various encapsulation technologies have been developed for this purpose. The use of proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates as carriers in food-grade encapsulation systems remains a common approach, but it is associated with certain limitations. Future research on phenolic acid encapsulation should focus on developing environmentally friendly, organic solvent-free, low-energy, scalable, and stable encapsulation systems, as well as co-encapsulation methods that combine multiple phenolic acids or phenolic acids with other bioactive substances to produce synergistic effects.

Scientists have been keenly interested in using bioactive compounds as food supplements over the past few decades. Nevertheless, such components frequently show low stability, and solubility, and limited gastrointestinal tract bio accessibility restricts their efficacy. Numerous nanocages like carriers have been investigated to encapsulate nutraceuticals and improve their bioavailability to get around these problems. Protein and lipid carrier-based nanocages are 3D-case-like structures with an internal homogenous compartment isolated from the surrounding bulk material by lipid and protein barriers. Because of their superior physicochemical properties and distinctive structural features, protein cage-like nanoparticles (NPs) have recently attracted increased interest from various fields for use as nano-vehicles for delivering active compounds with improved physicochemical properties and bioavailability. The use of food-grade colloidal systems, such as solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNPs), micelles, and nano-structured lipid carriers (NLCs), for delivering bioactive substances is broadly reviewed in this article. In addition, it offers a critical evaluation of the preparation process, challenges in using lipids and proteins produced from plants to transport hydrophobic bioactive compounds, and strategies to enhance these materials' ability to do so. This information should benefit the rational development of functional and medicinal foods with supplements for efficient bioactive delivery.

Abstract Cardamom essential oil (CEO) loaded food grade nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) were produced using cocoa butter (as solid lipid) and Tween 80 (as surfactant) for application in aqueous-based foods. The results demonstrated that the developed NLCs had fine size ( 90%). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results showed a less-ordered crystalline structure leading to high loading capacity. All samples exhibited perfect type crystal (or β-modification crystal) and a less crystalline state in X-ray diffractograms. Few changes were detected in the turbidity of systems after storage time, demonstrating that the NLCs did not show significant aggregation. Antimicrobial activity of CEO emulsion and CEO loaded NLC formulations were investigated by Broth Macrodilution method and confirmed that, encapsulation was able to protect the antimicrobial activity of CEO. The results showed that CEO-loaded NLC could be used as food supplements.

Growth in the human population and intensive, large-scale farming results in a lowering in the quality of nutrition. An oversupply of food energy is often accompanied with a deficiency in micronutrients. To address this problem, the food industry provides products enriched with bioactive substances. The main challenge of this technology is the even distribution of micronutrients in the matrix of the fortified food. A possible solution to this challenge is to use stable and effective carriers. The aim of this work was to verify the applicability of native potato starch and modified starches (commonly used in the food industry) as carriers for microelements. Adsorptions were carried out in starch suspensions at a temperature below gelatinisation. The native potato starch and the modified starches (E 1404, E 1412, E 1420, and E 1422) were assessed for their effectiveness in adsorbing copper, iron, and zinc sulphates or gluconates. Pasting characteristics were analysed using a Brabender viscograph and light microscopy. Furthermore, texture profile analysis of starch-based desserts was carried out with the use of the tested carriers. Starch in both its native and modified forms was able to effectively adsorb copper, iron, and zinc ions. Adsorption was more efficient when using modified starches containing hydrophilic carboxyl groups. The effectiveness of adsorption with oxidised starches increased with an increase in the degree of substitution. Starches containing more hydrophobic acetyl groups were less effective as adsorbents of microelements. The cation adsorption efficiency decreased in the order copper > iron > zinc, and sulphates were better adsorbed than gluconates. Copper ions influenced the pasting characteristics of the oxidised starches, and these effects were dependent on the degree of substitution with carboxyl groups. As observed by light microscopy, the presence of copper ions changes the interaction between the starch macromolecules and water. However, the above-mentioned changes did not significantly affect the texture of traditional sweet desserts. Starch, particularly its oxidised derivatives containing hydrophilic oxidised groups, can be recommended as a carrier of microelements for food fortification. The use of modified starches containing relatively hydrophobic acetyl groups is not appropriate because they absorb microelements less efficiently than native starch.

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Quercetin and rutin are naturally occurring flavonoids widely recognized for their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, which make them attractive candidates for food preservation and functional food applications. However, their incorporation into food systems is limited by poor aqueous solubility, chemical instability, and sensitivity to environmental stressors such as light, oxygen, and temperature. Encapsulation within food‐grade carriers has emerged as an effective strategy to overcome these limitations by enhancing stability, protecting bioactivity, and enabling controlled release under food‐relevant conditions. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of encapsulation strategies for quercetin and rutin using food‐grade materials, with emphasis on polysaccharide‐, protein‐, and lipid‐based delivery systems. The mechanisms governing flavonoid–carrier interactions, including hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, and electrostatic forces, are discussed in relation to encapsulation efficiency, stability, and release behavior. In addition, the performance of encapsulated quercetin and rutin in food preservation contexts, edible coatings, and functional food systems is examined. Current challenges related to formulation complexity and scalability are highlighted, along with future research directions aimed at advancing the rational design of food‐grade delivery platforms. Overall, this review consolidates current knowledge on quercetin and rutin encapsulation and provides a framework for their effective and safe application in next‐generation food systems.

Wood-staining fungal pigments have shown potential use as colorants for wood and textiles, with organic solvents as the pigment carrier. Natural oils have been suggested as an environmentally friendly and more available carrier; however, oils promoted color degradation. The current study examined the mechanism of said degradation and tested therapeutic and food-grade oils (instead of finishing oils) for their potential to carry draconin red, the pigment from Scytalidium cuboideum, without color loss over time. FTIR analysis from finishing oils indicated that oxidation was not likely the cause of color loss as the pigment could not be distinguished from the oils in the IR spectra. SEM was employed to determine if crystal degradation was contributing to color loss and indicated, surprisingly, that the crystals of draconin red formed rather than degraded over time. This suggested crystal breakdown was also not likely the cause of color loss. The pigment did not show degradation in hemp oil, flaxseed oil, and cold-pressed linseed oil when treated with β-carotene. Further in-depth chemical studies are needed to determine the mechanism of color loss in pigmented natural oils; however, food-grade oils appear to be a promising alternative to carry draconin red, without degradation of the color.

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Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid beneficial for brain development and cardiovascular health. DHA has poor aqueous solubility and is highly susceptible to oxidation, limiting its bioavailability. To address these challenges, in the present investigation, nanoemulsion was prepared using DHA-enriched edible algal oil and tween 80 as an emulsifier (1 %) initially. Then, the prepared DHA nanoemulsion was subsequently incorporated into xanthan gum gel (1.5 % w/v) to develop nanoemulgel. DHA nanoemulsion incorporated in the gel matrix achieved higher electrostatic stability of -69.17 ± 0.36 mV and a droplet size of 57.4 ± 0.52 nm, with maximum stability achieved at pH 7. The encapsulation efficiency of DHA in nanoemulgel found using GC-FID was 98.8 %. At the end of storage (120 days), the concentration of DHA in nanoemulgel was 3.4 g/100 g. The biocompatibility of nanoemulgel was confirmed by an in vitro cytotoxicity assessment using HepG2 cells and a hemolysis assessment. The nanoemulgel had a higher release of DHA (90 %) in in vitro gastric and intestinal digestion. In addition to that, in vivo pharmacodynamic evaluations in male C57BL mice were conducted to assess the cognitive enhancement. In comparison to the control group (0.39 g/100 g), the brain tissue of mice fed with DHA nanoemulgel showed a greater increase in DHA content (0.7 g/100 g) with an increased glial cell population. In short, an innovative strategy of combining DHA nanoemulsion with a gel matrix to develop nanoemulgel increased the bioavailability and stability of DHA, showing its potential as a promising nano delivery system for nutraceuticals.

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Abstract Aim The present study endeavours to develop a solid self-microemulsifying nutraceutical drug delivery system for hesperidin (HES) using quality by design (QbD) to improve its biopharmaceutical attributes. Methods A 32 full factorial design was employed to study the influence of factors on selected responses. Risk assessment was performed by portraying Ishikawa fishbone diagram and failure mode effect analysis (FMEA). The in vivo antidiabetic study was carried on induced diabetic rats. Results The optimised liquid SMEDDS-HES (OF) formulation showed emulsification time (Y 1) = 102.5 ± 2.52 s, globule size (Y 2) = 225.2 ± 3.40 nm, polydispersity index (Y 3) = 0.294 ± 0.62, and zeta potential (Y 4) = –25.4 ± 1.74 mV, respectively. The solid SMEDDS-HES (SOF-7) formulation was characterised by FTIR, PXRD, DSC, and SEM. The shelf life of SOF-7 was found to be 32.88 months. The heamatological and histopathological data of diabetic rats showed prominent antidiabetic activity. Conclusions The optimised formulation showed improved dissolution, desired stability, and promising antidiabetic activity.

Abstract The world population is facing a remarkable change in lifestyle and the consequence of this change must impact health. Macronutrient-enriched, processed, high-calorie convenient food products are dominating the food market supplying our basic need for food. Nutraceuticals not only provide nutrients beyond basic food but also protect our health from various chronic disorders and build our immunity stronger. Delivery of nutraceuticals in processed food was a hurdle for food scientists before two decades. In the last two decades, various nutraceutical delivery systems have been formulated with proven effective delivery at a specific absorbable location with sound science. In this chapter, different nutraceutical delivery systems will be discussed emphasizing loading capacity, functional enhancement, bioavailability, bioaccessibility, and absorbability of the delivering nutraceuticals.

Previous reports have shown that lupin protein extracts (LE) contain a polypeptide named deflamin with a potent matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 inhibitory activity. The aim of our study was to develop an efficient delivery method for incorporating deflamin into cookies using different alternative flours. A lupin protein concentrate (10 g protein/100 g cookie dough) was added to gluten and gluten-free flours to produce savoury cookies, and its impacts on the physical properties of doughs and cookies, as well on the maintenance of deflamin’s anti-MMP-9 activity, were analysed. The results showed that the biochemical compositions of all cookies with LE presented higher protein and ash contents when compared to the control cookies. Rice, buckwheat and oat doughs were firmer than the others, whereas the addition of LE to kamut and buckwheat flours made cookies significantly firmer than the controls. Additionally, strong interactions between LE and several flours were observed, yielding different impacts on the MMP-9 bioactivity. Overall, the only flour that did not interfere with the desired nutraceutical activities was buckwheat, with 60% MMP-9 inhibitory activity and a concomitant reduction of colon cancer migration; hence, buckwheat flour was revealed to be a good vehicle to deliver bioactive deflamin, showing strong potential as a functional food to be used in preventive or curative approaches to gastrointestinal diseases.

Herein, oil-in-water high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) were stabilized by lignin from different technical resources with the assistance of alkyl polyglycoside (APG) using an ultrasonic cavitation method. The results showed that the amphiphilicity of lignin determined the formation of HIPEs. Microscopic and rheological characterization indicated that the molecular weight and concentration of lignin, the APG dosage and the oil/water ratio had important influences on the microstructure and stability of the HIPEs. In addition, nutraceutical β-carotene could be encapsulated in the oil phase of the HIPEs, which exhibited outstanding protection against photo- and thermal-oxidative degradation of β-carotene. After storage for 30 days under room temperature/light or storage for 7 days under 55 °C/dark conditions, the retention of β-carotene in the HIPEs was 87% to 95%, which is significantly higher than that of β-carotene dispersed in bulk oil. In vitro digestion experiments indicated that the digestibility of the HIPEs also markedly improved. The largest release of free fatty acids was 80%. The bio-accessibility of β-carotene in these lignin-based HIPEs also reached 60%.

This comprehensive review explores nanobubbles (NBs) technology advancements for improving drug and nutraceutical delivery and promoting human health. NBs are gas-filled nanocarriers owing to unique structures, excellent stability, flexibility, biocompatibility, and precise targeting abilities that stand out as promising drug delivery systems that improve bioavailability and enable controlled drug release. NBs demonstrate various applications, such as cancer therapy and cardiovascular health treatment, addressing neurodegenerative disorders, and aiding nutrient absorption. A significant advantage of NBs is their ultrasound-triggered cavitation, which enables targeted delivery with minimal systemic toxicity. In nutraceuticals, NBs enhance the absorption of vital nutrients, primarily those with poor bioavailability, by stabilizing and effectively targeting these compounds in the gastrointestinal system. However, long-term safety issues demand thorough preclinical studies, including bioaccumulation and cytotoxicity. The review examines important ethical, safety, and regulatory factors which must be addressed to advance NB technology in clinical and nutritional applications. The potential of these systems exists, but scalability and sustainability pose significant challenges. The full potential of nanocarriers in healthcare and nutrition depends on ongoing research into biodegradable materials and scalable production alongside the development of eco-friendly nanocarrier systems. Research results show NBs are fundamental to precision medicine and personalized nutrition, establishing a base for innovative drug and nutraceutical delivery systems.

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This study investigates the potential of κ-carrageenan hydrogel beads as a delivery system for curcumin, a bioactive compound with various health benefits. Hydrogel beads were prepared using the extrusion technique with a hypodermic needle. The encapsulation efficiency of curcumin in the κ-carrageenan hydrogel beads was found to be 74.61 ± 3.2 %. FTIR spectroscopy analysis revealed shifts in absorption peaks, indicating possible hydrogen bonding and/or ionic interactions between the polymer and salt. An increase in the melting point of curcumin, by 25 °C, in curcumin- κ-carrageenan beads suggests the heat protection offered by the carrageenan chains to curcumin molecules. The in vitro release of curcumin from the beads suggests a sustained and pH-dependent release nature. The release kinetics follow the first order and the Korsmeyer-Peppas model. The outcome offers value-added delivery systems of bioactive compounds toward developing novel food and pharmaceutical applications.

The exceptional properties of aerogels explain their growing applicability in different research areas. In the case of nutraceutical delivery, they hold the potential to improve the common challenges of poor bioavailability and low stability of the bioactive ingredients, thereby enhancing intestinal delivery. Starch aerogels offer additional attractive features: biocompatibility, potential cost reduction, and abundance of raw materials. This review explores the development of starch aerogels as carriers for nutraceutical delivery, and how it can be rationalized with molecular simulation. The fundamentals of starch aerogels and the existing literature on the carriers are explored, including synthesis procedure, morphology, nutraceutical loading, and characterization of the resulting delivery system. Molecular simulation is identified as a key tool for examining properties and interactions occurring at the nano- and sub-nanoscale. The current gaps in the field are critically discussed, and trending topics for future research are identified. A computational-assisted design combined with a systematic approach to production routes is needed to further develop the field of starch aerogels for nutraceutical delivery, in addition to assessing toxicity, stability during storage, and scale-up viability.

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BACKGROUND Quercetin, a natural flavonoid, has demonstrated protective effects against diabetes. Nevertheless, its poor aqueous solubility and chemical instability significantly hinder its clinical application. Nanoencapsulation strategies have emerged as promising approaches to enhance the bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy of quercetin, attracting increasing attention in the field of diabetes management. PURPOSE This review critically discussed the anti-diabetic effects of quercetin, highlighting both the challenges of using quercetin as an anti-diabetic nutraceutical and the promising potential of nanoencapsulation techniques to enhance its therapeutic efficacy. METHODS A comprehensive literature review was conducted using databases like PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library, employing targeted keywords related to quercetin, diabetes, and nanoparticles. The analysis primarily focused on articles published from the inception of each database through February 2025. RESULTS Various nanoparticle carriers, such as lipid-based, polymer-based, and inorganic nanoparticles, had been utilized for the delivery of quercetin. These nanoformulations markedly improved the stability, aqueous solubility, and cellular absorption of quercetin. Preclinical evidence from both in vitro and in vivo studies supported the therapeutic promise of quercetin-loaded nanoparticles in diabetes intervention. CONCLUSION To our knowledge, this was the first review to specifically focus on applying quercetin-loaded nanoparticles in diabetes therapy. Overall, nanoencapsulation strategies substantially enhance the bioavailability of quercetin, leading to improved anti-diabetic efficacy in preclinical models. Nevertheless, rigorously designed, large-scale clinical trials are required to validate their safety and efficacy in humans and to enable clinical translation.

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Valproic acid (VPA) is an antiepileptic drug, which is currently used in neurodegenerative diseases. However, a high dose is required to obtain a therapeutic effect. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as omega 3 and omega 6, are efficient complements in treatments for neurological diseases. Previous studies have reported that a dietary supplement containing PUFAs together with the administration of antiepileptic drugs significantly reduces the frequency of seizures. Based on this, the main goal of this work was to obtain a complex based on VPA encapsulation in an oil/water (o/w) nutraceutical emulsion (NE) enriched with PUFAs for oral administration. Besides, encapsulation of VPA might reduce its dose and increase its therapeutic effect. In order to study its effect, we used a zebrafish larvae model of induced epileptiform behavior with the proconvulsant drug pentylenetetrazol (PTZ). Results have shown that when 100 μM VPA and fatty acids were combined in the NE (NE-VPA), the epileptiform behavior of PTZ-treated zebrafish larvae decreased significantly. Additionally, morphological changes, hepatotoxicity, lethality and heart rate were studied. Despite the fact that a high dose of VPA exerted a cardiotoxic effect, this was no longer detected after addition of this drug in the NE. This treatment exerted a significant antiepileptic effect and did not result in highly toxic or lethal effects. In order to develop an improved pharmaceutical treatment, and considering that all the components used are FDA approved for consumption, the NE-VPA selected might be easily incorporated into clinical trials.

Objective: The object of our investigation was to develop and characterize nanoemulsion gel (NEG) as transdermal delivery systems for the poorly water soluble drug, Co-enzyme Q 10 (CoQ 10 ), to improve its solubility and skin permeability and thus improving its anti-wrinkle efficiency. Methods: An optimized nanoemulsion (NE) formula was chosen according to its particle size and stability and converted into nanoemulsion gel using different gelling agents, including; carbopol 934 (1%), xanthan gum (2%) and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose(NaCMC) (2%). Drug loaded nanoemulsion gels were characterized for particle size, zeta potential, viscosity and rheological behavior, conductivity, spreadability, drug content and permeation studies using Franz diffusion cell. Results: NEG containing 10% w/v isopropyl myristate (IPM) as oil, 60% w/v tween 80 and transcutol HP as surfactant/co-surfactant mixture (S/CoS), 30%w/v water, 2%w/v drug, and 1% w/v carbopol 934 as gelling gent was concluded as an optimized NEG formula. It exhibited pH, viscosity, drug content, particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index(PDI) and spreadability, as 5.4±0.011, 27588±2034.34 cps,101.51±0.93%,120.5±1.19 nm,-29.8±1.46, 0.273 and 6.16±0.28 cm, respectively. Also, it showed significantly higher cumulative amount of drug permeated through dialysis membrane (281.71±0.97μg/cm 2 ) and through rat skin (20.73±2.5 μg/cm 2 ) than the other formulae and marketed formulation (P<0.001). In addition, its permeability parameters like drug flux (Jss), enhancement ratio (Er) and permeability coefficient (Kp) exhibited the highest values; 12.79µg/cm 2 /h, 95.92 × 10 -4 cm 2 /h and 57.35, respectively for in vitro permeation study and 0.968µg/cm 2 /h, 7.26 × 10 -4 cm 2 /h and 1.183, respectively for ex-vivo permeation study. Further histopathological evaluation test showed that CoQ 10 NEG has a good anti-wrinkle efficacy compared to the conventional topical dosage form. Conclusion: These results judged NEG to be a promising alternative carrier for topical delivery of CoQ 10 to enhance its solubility, skin permeability and thus anti-wrinkle efficiency.

This review emphasizes key findings regarding nanoemulsions utilized as carriers for fat-soluble vitamins (FSVs). The stability of FSV-loaded nanoemulsions is chiefly determined by the emulsifier type and concentration, carrier oil type, oil composition and concentration, and droplet size. Natural emulsifiers such as saponins, lecithin, and proteins, in conjunction with long-chain triglycerides (LCT) such as olive and corn oils, prove beneficial in enhancing FSVs’ bioavailability. Despite the established effectiveness of nanoemulsions in enhancing FSVs’ stability and bioaccessibility, the safety of FSV encapsulation within nanoemulsions remains incompletely understood. Importantly, relying solely on in vitro studies is inadequate to simulate the actual gastrointestinal behavior of nanoemulsion systems. Future investigations should prioritize encapsulating FSVs in natural emulsifier-stabilized nanoemulsions and incorporate both in vivo and in vitro experiments to explore the gastrointestinal destiny of these delivery systems. This review offers crucial insights for the systematic development of FSV-enriched functional foods utilizing nanoemulsion technology.

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Astaxanthin is a natural antioxidant substance, but it can be easily degraded by light, heat, and oxidation. One solution to overcome these problems is to transform astaxanthin into nanoemulsion within a protective matrix produced during an encapsulation process. In this study astaxanthin nanoemulsion (ANE) and chitosan (CS) incorporated with ANE (CS-ANE) were fabricated using high-pressure homogenizer (HPH). Experiments were carried out to establish the influence of HPH pressure (150 and 180 MPa) and number of cycles (1-4 cycles) passing through the HPH nozzle, and CS concentration (0 % (CS0-ANE), 0.55 % (CS1-ANE), 0.75 % (CS2-ANE) and 0.95 % (CS3-ANE)) on the droplet size, zeta-potential, size distribution, morphology, encapsulation efficiency (EE), thermal stability, and antioxidant activity (DPPH and FRAP assays). The zeta potential of ANE increased after incorporated with CS. The droplet size of CS-ANE decreased with increasing HPH pressure and number of cycles. The EE of CS0-ANE increased significantly from 59.61 % to 76 % for CS1-ANE, 87.04 % for CS2-ANE, and 90.28 % for CS3-ANE. CS2-ANE and CS3-ANE had thermal stability at 90 °C for 30 min and could preserve antioxidant activity of astaxanthin better than CS0-ANE and CS1-ANE. Besides antioxidant assays, the antioxidant potential of the CS-ANE was also evaluated in a real food system and found that CS2-ANE was the best for inhibition of lipid oxidation in safflower oil during storage at 45 °C. These results indicated that CS encapsulation can enhance stability and preserve antioxidant activity of astaxanthin.

β-carotene, a vital carotenoid, is limited by poor solubility and stability. Though Pickering nanoemulsions offer superior protection for β-carotene than conventional nanoemulsions, developing food-grade Pickering nanoemulsions remains challenging due to particle size and amphiphilicity issues. This study developed a food-grade Pickering nanoemulsion stabilized by chitosan nanoparticles via high-power ultrasonication. Under optimized conditions (pH 6.5, 2 % oil phase, 1.0 wt% chitosan, 455 W ultrasonication for 180 min), a stable nanoemulsion of 388 nm was obtained with minimized β-carotene loss. These nanoemulsions exhibited exceptional environmental stability, maintaining robust stability under varying pH (3.0-7.0), ionic strength (100-500 mM NaCl), and thermal stress. Thermal stability and extended storage tests demonstrated superior β-carotene protection compared to conventional Tween 20-stabilized emulsions. This work provides a novel strategy for food-grade Pickering nanoemulsions, enabling β-carotene application in functional foods and pharmaceuticals.

In the study, lycopene and resveratrol nanoemulsion hydrogel beads were prepared by using agarose‑sodium alginate as a carrier and the semi-interpenetrating polymer network technique, characteristics and morphologies were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, rheological measurement. The synergistic antioxidant effect of lycopene and resveratrol was confirmed, the best synergistic antioxidant performance is achieved when the ratio of 1:1. To increase the solubility and improve the stability, the lycopene was prepared as solid dispersion added to the nanoemulsion. The encapsulation rate of lycopene and resveratrol reached 93.60 ± 2.94 % and 89.30 ± 1.75 %, respectively, and the cumulative release showed that the addition of agarose slowed down the release rate of the compound, which improves the applicability of lycopene and resveratrol and development of carriers for the delivery of different bioactive ingredients.

This study aimed to improve the dispersibility of phenolic compounds from black rice bran through the encapsulation process within nanoemulsion. The study focused on assessing the stability of the nanoemulsions, which were prepared using a combination of surfactants with distinct hydrophilic–lipophilic balance (HLB) values and sunflower oil under different thermal treatments and storage conditions. The study revealed a significant correlation between the mixed surfactant HLB value and the nanoemulsions properties, including average particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and ζ-potential. Specifically, an increase in the HLB value was associated with a decrease in the initial average particle size. The encapsulated polyphenols exhibited remarkable stability over a storage period of up to 30 days at different temperatures with no significant changes observed in particle size or PDI. The study also investigated the impact of different ionic strengths (0.2, 0.5, and 1.00 mol L–1 NaCl) on the physical stability and antioxidant black rice bran extract nanoemulsion, and the results revealed that adding NaCl influenced the particle size and surface charge of the nanoemulsions. Total phenolic content and DPPH results demonstrated a significant impact of salt concentration on antioxidant properties, with varying trends observed among the HLB formulations. Furthermore, the behavior of the encapsulated extracts during digestion was examined, and their antioxidant activity was evaluated.

Aspergillus flavus is a common fungus causing bread spoilage by aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) production. Essential oil components are considered as effective antifungal agent; however, volatility and oxidative-instability limited their practical applications. The aim of this study was to fabricate novel chitosan nanoemulsion film incorporating carvone (carvone-Ne) for protection of bread slices against A. flavus and AFB1 contamination in storage conditions. The nanoemulsion was characterized by SEM, DLS, XRD, and FTIR analyses accompanying with sustained delivery of carvone. The carvone-Ne displayed better inhibition of A. flavus (0.5 µL/mL) and AFB1 production (0.4 µL/mL) over unencapsulated carvone along with promising antioxidant activity (p < 0.05). Destruction of ergosterol, mitochondrial-membrane-potential, ions leakage, deformities in methylglyoxal biosynthesis, and in-silico interaction of carvone with Afl-R protein emphasized the antifungal and antiaflatoxigenic mechanisms of action. Further, in-situ preservation potentiality of Carvone-Ne in bread slices with improved gas compositions, and acceptable sensory qualities strengthen its application as innovative packaging material for food preservation.

Tea polysaccharide conjugates (TPC) were used as fillers in the form of biopolymer or colloidal particles (TPC stabilized nanoemulsion, NE) for reinforcing alginate (ALG) beads to improve the probiotic viability. Results demonstrated that adding TPC or NE to ALG beads significantly enhanced the gastrointestinal viability of encapsulated probiotics when compared to free cells. Moreover, the survivability of free and ALG encapsulated probiotics markedly decreased to 2.03 ± 0.05 and 2.26 ± 0.24 log CFU/g, respectively, after 2 weeks ambient storage, indicating pure ALG encapsulation had no effective storage protective capability. However, adding TPC or NE could greatly enhance the ambient storage viability of probiotics, with ALG + NE beads possessing the best protection (8.93 ± 0.06 log CFU/g) due to their lower water activity and reduced porosity. These results suggest that TPC and NE reinforced ALG beads have the potential to encapsulate, protect and colonic delivery of probiotics.

The present study deals with the encapsulation of Cymbopogon khasiana × Cymbopogon pendulus essential oil (CKP-25-EO) into a chitosan nanoemulsion and efficacy assessment for inhibition of fungal inhabitation and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contamination in Syzygium cumini seeds with emphasis on cellular and molecular mechanism of action. DLS, AFM, SEM, FTIR, and XRD analyses revealed the encapsulation of CKP-25-EO in chitosan with controlled delivery. The CKP-25-Ne displayed enhanced antifungal (0.08 µL/mL), antiaflatoxigenic (0.07 µL/mL), and antioxidant activities (IC50 DPPH = 6.94 µL/mL, IC50 ABTS = 5.40 µL/mL) in comparison to the free EO. Impediment in cellular ergosterol, methylglyoxal biosynthesis, and in silico molecular modeling of CKP-25-Ne validated the cellular and molecular mechanism of antifungal and antiaflatoxigenic activity. The CKP-25-Ne showed in situ efficacy for inhibition of lipid peroxidation and AFB1 secretion in stored S. cumini seeds without altering the sensory profile. Moreover, the higher mammalian safety profile strengthens the application of CKP-25-Ne as a safe green nano-preservative against fungal association, and hazardous AFB1 contamination in food, agriculture, and pharmaceutical industries.

Nanoemulsions have been widely studied as lipophilic compound loading systems. A low-energy emulsification method, phase inversion composition (PIC), was used to prepare oil-in-water nanoemulsions in a carvacrol–coconut oil/Tween 80®–(linoleic acid–potassium linoleate)/water system. The phase behaviour of several emulsification paths was studied and related to the composition range in which small-sized stable nanoemulsions could be obtained. An experimental design was carried out to determine the best formulation in terms of size and stability. Nanoemulsions with a very small mean droplet diameter (16–20 nm) were obtained and successfully encapsulated to add carvacrol to foods as a natural antimicrobial and antioxidant agent. They were encapsulated into alginate beads by external gelation. In order to improve the carvacrol kinetics release, the beads were coated with two different biopolymers: chitosan and pullulan. All formulations were analysed with scanning electron microscopy to investigate the surface morphology. The release patterns at different pHs were evaluated. Different kinetics release models were fitted in order to study the release mechanisms affecting each formulation. Chitosan-coated beads avoided the initial release burst effect, improving the beads’ structure and producing a Fickian release. At basic pH, the chitosan-coated beads collapsed and the pullulan-coated beads moderately improved the release pattern of the alginate beads. For acid and neutral pHs, the chitosan-coated beads presented more sustained release patterns.

The aim of this paper was to determine the effect of stabilized curcumin nanoemulsions (CUNE) as a food additive capable of directionally acting to inhibit molecules involved in dairy products’ quality and digestibility, especially cheese. The objects were cheeses made from the milk of higher grades with addition of a CUNE and a control sample. The cheeses were studied using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) in terms of organoleptic properties, such as appearance, taste, and aroma. The results show that the addition of CUNEs improved the organoleptic properties compared to the control cheese by 150% and improved its shelf life. The SEM study shows that formulation with CUNE promotes the uniform distribution of porosity. The CUNE-based cheese shows a better sensory evaluation compared to the emulsion without curcumin. CUNE-processed cheese provided better antioxidant and antimicrobial analysis than the control sample and offers added value to the dairy sector.

HYPOTHESIS Lipophilic cannabidiol can be solubilized in oil-in water nanoemulsions, which can then be impregnated into chitosan hydrogels forming another colloidal system that will facilitate cannabidiol's release. The delivery from both systems was compared, alongside structural and biological studies, to clarify the effect of the two carriers' structure on the release and toxicity of the systems. EXPERIMENTS Oil-in-water nanoemulsions (NEs) and the respective nanoemulsion-filled chitosan hydrogels (NE/HGs) were formulated as carriers of cannabidiol (CBD). Size, polydispersity and stability of the NEs were evaluated and then membrane dynamics, shape and structure of both systems were investigated with EPR spin probing, SAXS and microscopy. Biocompatibility of the colloidal delivery systems was evaluated through cytotoxicity tests over normal human skin fibroblasts. An ex vivo permeation protocol using porcine ear skin was implemented to assess the release of CBD and its penetration through the skin. FINDINGS Incorporation of the NEs in chitosan hydrogels does not significantly affect their structural properties as evidenced through SAXS, EPR and confocal microscopy. These findings indicate the successful development of a novel nanocarrier that preserves the NE structure with the CBD remaining encapsulated in the oil core while providing new rheological properties advantageous over NEs. Moreover, NE/HGs proved to be more efficient as a carrier for the release of CBD. Cell viability assessment revealed high biocompatibility of the proposed colloids.

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Curcumin is unstable under different environmental conditions. To increase the bioavailability and stability of curcumin, it is proposed in the present study to encapsulate it in palm oil-in-water nanoemulsions using ultrasound. The present work deals with maximum curcumin encapsulation into oil forms stable nanoemulsion using a food-grade surfactant and examines its antioxidant assay and in-vitro study. The synthesized curcumin nanoemulsion (CuNE) shows particle size in the range of 14.7 ± 3 nm, 95 ± 0.5% encapsulation efficiency, and provides stability against different environmental parameters. Furthermore, in-vitro analysis of high dosage CuNE shows more than 80-90% retention during simulated gastric and intestinal conditions.

Abstract A nanoemulsion system was employed to encapsulate the krill oil with different concentration. The combination of whey protein concentrate, maltodextrin and gum arabic with the ratio of 8:2:0.5 was used in nanoemulsion formulation to enhance nanoemulsion stability, as well as to construct the wall part of the encapsulates. Two different drying methods; freeze-drying and spray-drying were applied on krill oil nanoemulsion systems to obtained powder encapsulates. The physical characterization of nanoemulsions and chemical stability of krill oil in terms of oxidative stability and in vitro bioaccessibility (%) were evaluated before and after drying processes to understand the effect of different drying techniques on encapsulation ability of nanoemulsion systems. Dehydration of nanoemulsions with spray-drying caused approximately 7 folds increments on particle size. The sample with 8% (w/v) of krill oil concentration had an optimum encapsulation efficiency that was calculated 72% in spray-dried nanoemulsion and 67% in freeze-dried nanoemulsion. Both spray-dried and freeze-dried krill oil nanoemulsions showed similar oxidative stability in 8% (w/v) concentration during the 15 days storage period. In vitro bioaccessibility of encapsulated krill oil was changed between 32.7 to 72.4% and 20.0–83.0% in freeze-dried and spray-dried nanoemulsions, respectively. Still, the spray-drying process is recommended for the dehydration of krill oil nanoemulsion with 8% (w/v) concentration because a better encapsulation efficiency and the higher in vitro bioaccessibility was obtained compared to freeze-dried nanoemulsion systems at the same concentration of krill oil.

Biocompatible nanoemulsions and nanoemulsion-based hydrogels were formulated for the encapsulation and delivery of vitamin D3 and curcumin. The aforementioned systems were structurally studied applying dynamic light scattering (DLS), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and viscometry. In vitro studies were conducted using Franz diffusion cells to investigate the release of the bioactive compounds from the nanocarriers. The cytotoxicity of the nanoemulsions was investigated using the thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell proliferation assay and RPMI 2650 nasal epithelial cells as in vitro model. DLS measurements showed that vitamin D3 and curcumin addition in the dispersed phase of the nanoemulsions caused an increase in the size of the oil droplets from 78.6 ± 0.2 nm to 83.6 ± 0.3 nm and from 78.6 ± 0.2 nm to 165.6 ± 1.0 nm, respectively. Loaded nanoemulsions, in both cases, were stable for 60 days of storage at 25 °C. EPR spectroscopy revealed participation of vitamin D3 and curcumin in the surfactants monolayer. In vitro release rates of both lipophilic compounds from the nanoemulsions were comparable to the corresponding ones from the nanoemulsion-based hydrogels. The developed o/w nanoemulsions did not exhibit cytotoxic effect up to the concentration threshold of 1 mg/mL in the cell culture medium.

This work was to investigate the effect of four prebiotic saccharides gum arabic (GA), fructooligosaccharide (FOS), konjac glucomannan (KGM), and inulin (INU) incorporation on the encapsulation efficiency (EE), physicochemical stability, and in vitro digestion of urolithin A-loaded liposomes (UroA-LPs). The regulation of liposomes on gut microbiota was also investigated by in vitro colonic fermentation. Results indicated that liposomes coated with GA showed the best EE, bioaccessibility, storage and thermal stability, the bioaccessibility was 1.67 times of that of UroA-LPs. The UroA-LPs coated with FOS showed the best freeze-thaw stability and transformation. Meanwhile, saccharides addition remarkably improved the relative abundance of Bacteroidota, reduced the abundances of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. The UroA-LPs coated with FOS, INU, and GA exhibited the highest beneficial bacteria abundance of Parabacteroides, Monoglobus, and Phascolarctobacterium, respectively. FOS could also decrease the abundance of harmful bacteria Collinsella and Enterococcus, and increase the levels of acetic acid, butyric acid and iso-butyric acid. Consequently, prebiotic saccharides can improve the EE, physicochemical stability, gut microbiota regulation of UroA-LPs, and promote the bioaccessibility of UroA, but the efficiency varied based on saccharides types, which can lay a foundation for the application of UroA in foods industry and for the enhancement of its bio-activities.

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In the present study, seven carbohydrates were selected as encapsulant for preparing lutein microencapsulated powders (LMPs). The surface morphology, physical properties, encapsulation efficiency, and thermo- and storage stability of LMPs were studied to determine the protective effects of different carbohydrates on microencapsulated lutein during spray drying and storage. Results on powder characteristics indicated that the crystal inhibition of wall material in spray drying was necessary for decent encapsulation efficiency, and higher glass transition temperature of wall material could cause high product yield. In stability assessment, degradation kinetics of different LMPs at two different temperature conditions were analysed, revealing that inulin could provide more effective protection compared with the other carbohydrate. Our results suggested that the different carbohydrates had great influence on the quality of LMPs, and inulin could be considered as an alternative for the generation of LMPs to enhance storage stability and extend shelf life of this bioactive product.

This study evaluated the technological viability of the formation of lactase microcapsules by coacervation (gelatin/gum arabic) containing potassium ions (cofactor). The impacts of the encapsulation and the cofactor on the enzyme properties obtained from Aspergillus oryzae and Kluyveromyces lactis were evaluated as a function of different pH values, temperatures, and storage times. The best microcapsules formed by coacervation showed good functional properties, such as low water activity (≤ 0.4) and particle size (≤ 93.52 μm), as well as high encapsulation efficiency (≥ 98.67%). The potassium ions were capable of reducing the flexibility of the polypeptide backbone, thereby increasing the stability of the enzyme. The microcapsules were also capable of increasing the stability of the enzyme under unfavorable pH values, high temperatures and during storage. An in vitro experiment showed that microcapsules were effective in the retention of about 90% of the enzyme in simulated gastric fluid, but as much as 95% of the enzyme can be released from the capsules in simulated intestinal fluid. The released enzyme retained 83% and 66% of the total enzymatic activity for the capsules produced with lactase from Kluyveromyces lactis and A. oryzae, respectively. These results are promising and demonstrated that these microcapsules are a promising technology to protect and deliver bioactive proteins during storage and delivery in the GI tract.

No abstract available

This study aimed to explore the potential of soybean protein isolate hydrolysates (SPIH) prepared via Alcalase as delivery carriers and develop novel SPIH-Cur nanoparticles. Hydrolysis caused the varying degrees degradation in the 7S and 11S subunits, significantly enhancing SPI's antioxidant activity. The reduction in particle size and the exposure of hydrophobic groups in SPIH contributed to the formation of stable SPIH-Cur nanoparticles, due to their well binding capacity to curcumin (Cur). The 30 min SPIH-Cur sample exhibited the highest encapsulation efficiency (83.09 %), owing to its high binding affinity (Ka = 9.56 × 103 M-1). Encapsulation by SPIH also significantly improved Cur's thermal and light stability. Moreover, FTIR, fluorescence spectra, and molecular docking analyses revealed that the formation of SPIH-Cur were primarily driven by hydrophobic forces and hydrogen bonds. Above results provide a foundation for fabricating nanoparticles that deliver lipophilic bioactive compounds with high encapsulation efficiency and stability derived from SPIH.

The objectives of the present study were to synthesize gliadin/tremella polysaccharide nanoparticles (Gli/TP NPs) as well as curcumin-loaded gliadin/tremella polysaccharide nanoparticles (Cur-Gli/TP NPs) and evaluate the encapsulation efficiency (EE), physicochemical stability and bioaccessibility of Cur-Gli/TP NPs. The physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles depended on the mass ratio of Gli to TP and pH values. The characterization of the Gli/TP NPs indicated that the prepared nanoparticles were the most stable when the Gli/TP mass ratio was 1:1 and pH was at 4.0–7.0. Afterward, prepared Cur-Gli/TP NPs at different pH values were studied. Compared with the EE of Cur (58.2%) in Cur-Gli NPs at pH 5.0, the EE of Cur (90.6%) in Cur-Gli/TP NPs at pH 5.0 was increased by 32.4%. Besides, the Cur-Gli/TP NPs possessed excellent physical stability, photostability, thermal stability and re-dispersibility than Cur-Gli NPs. Furthermore, the bioaccessibility of Cur reached 83.5% after encapsulation of Cur into Gli/TP NPs after in vitro digestion, indicating that Cur-Gli/TP NPs could improve curcumin bioaccessibility significantly. In summary, this study demonstrates that the new food-grade Gli/TP NPs possess high encapsulation efficiency, excellent stability and prominent nutraceutical bioaccessibility. Meanwhile, it contributes to expanding the application of TP in food-grade delivery systems.

The degradation of acidic gastric juice on immunoglobulin Y (IgY) leads to destruction on the structural and loss of the bioactivity, limiting the bioavailability of oral IgY and its research or application in adjuvant treatment of diseases. In this work, it was surmounted with IgY-loaded chitosan-liposomes prepared by supercritical carbon dioxide-assisted method. A range of chitosan concentrations (0%, 0.5%, 0.8%, 1.1%, and 1.4%) were selected to explore the influence of chitosan concentration on the encapsulation effectiveness, stability, and in vitro-simulated digestive release properties of liposome-encapsulated IgY. The results displayed that owing to the robust interaction between chitosan and liposomes, the particle size, encapsulation efficiency, and stability of liposomes reached the optimal state at a chitosan concentration of 0.8%, with the encapsulation efficiency reaching 77.51%. Moreover, the liposomes could be stored at 4°C for 9 days without obvious sedimentation. The zeta potential of liposomes containing 0.8% chitosan was higher than that of samples without chitosan at high salt concentration treatment. In vitro release experiments demonstrated that liposomes fitted well in the Peppas equation. Chitosan-coated liposomes were capable of delaying the release of IgY in the stomach during simulated digestion, allowing more IgY to be released in the intestine. To sum up, Chitosan played a vital role in maintaining the stability and encapsulation of IgY, and the results of this work provide a theoretical basis for the development and utilization of chitosan and the protection of activity of IgY when administered orally. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: IgY serves as a bioactive substance with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant functions. However, it is far from satisfactory for the oral delivery activity of IgY. Encapsulation of liposomes contributed to alleviate the release of IgY in the stomach. However, liposomes were less stable and not efficient enough to encapsulate IgY. This study demonstrated that the addition of 0.8% chitosan could effectively enhance the encapsulation efficiency of liposomes and improved the stability of liposomes. It might contribute to the solution of the oral delivery activity of IgY and provide a promising idea for the utilization of chitosan.

Fish oil is the primary source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which are important nutrients that assist in the prevention and treatment of heart disease and have many health benefits. It also contains vitamins that are lipid-soluble, such as vitamins A and D. This work aimed to determine how the wall material composition influenced the encapsulation efficiency and oxidative stability of omega fish oils in spray-dried microcapsules. In this study, mackerel, sardine waste oil, and sand smelt fish oil were encapsulated in three different wall materials (whey protein, gum Arabic (AG), and maltodextrin) by conventional spray-drying. The effect of the different wall materials on the encapsulation efficiency (EE), flowability, and oxidative stability of encapsulated oils during storage at 4 °C was investigated. All three encapsulating agents provided a highly protective effect against the oxidative deterioration of the encapsulated oils. Whey protein was found to be the most effective encapsulated agent comparing to gum Arabic and maltodextrin. The results indicated that whey protein recorded the highest encapsulation efficiency compared to the gum Arabic and maltodextrin in all encapsulated samples with EE of 71.71%, 68.61%, and 64.71% for sand smelt, mackerel, and sardine oil, respectively. Unencapsulated fish oil samples (control) recorded peroxide values (PV) of 33.19, 40.64, and 47.76 meq/kg oil for sand smelt, mackerel, and sardine oils after 35 days of storage, while all the encapsulated samples showed PV less than 10 in the same storage period. It could be concluded that all the encapsulating agents provided a protective effect to the encapsulated fish oil and elongated the shelf life of it comparing to the untreated oil sample (control). The results suggest that encapsulation of fish oil is beneficial for its oxidative stability and its uses in the production of functional foods.

Abstract Microencapsulation is an effective technique for maintaining stability of labile bioactive components. However, as an indispensable process prior to microencapsulation, the effects of emulsion preparation on microencapsulated products are often overlooked. In this study, three industrialized comminution techniques (wet media milling, high pressure homogenization, and colloid milling method) were used to manufacture four lutein-loaded primary emulsions with different lutein particle size (from 238.2 nm to 2.2 μm). Subsequently, lutein-loaded emulsions were microencapsulated through spray drying. The physicochemical properties, encapsulation efficiency, storage stability, and dissolution rate of lutein microencapsulated powder (LMPs) were examined to evaluate the effects of different emulsions on the quality of LMPs. Results indicated that the encapsulation efficiency and storage stability of LMPs decreased as the lutein particle size in emulsions increased. The LMP with smallest lutein particles possessed highest encapsulation efficiency (97.9%) and storage stability (plateau value of 89.44 and 78.85% at 25°C and 40°C). In vitro release study showed that apparent solubility and dissolution rate of LMPs containing nano-sized particle were significantly increased, compared with micron-sized LMPs and physical mixture. Our study suggested that preparing the emulsion containing nano-size lutein particles is critical for improving shelf life and oral bioavailability of this bioactive product.

This study aimed to evaluate the potential of vacuum spray drying technology for the microencapsulation of an oxidation-sensitive ingredient, in order to minimize lipid oxidation and maximize encapsulation efficiency. For this purpose, an emulsion containing fish oil was used for particles production. Maltodextrin and modified starch were employed as wall materials at a 75:25 ratio. The process was carried out on a vacuum spray dryer (VSD) and a spray dryer (SD) to compare the particles recovered by both processes. The particles produced by the VSD presented the best protection of the active material against lipid oxidation according to the methods evaluated, while the poorer protection was obtained for SD particles, which also showed the lowest encapsulation efficiency. All samples were hollow with continuous walls and no apparent fissures or cracks in their structures. The type of process significantly affected the physicochemical and structural properties of the microparticles.

Maltodextrin, modified starch, inulin, alginate, gum arabic, and combinations thereof were used as carrier agents for spray drying of carotenoid-rich goldenberry (Physalis peruviana L.) juice and compared to cellobiose as an alternative carrier. Powders were analyzed with respect to particle size and morphology, yield, moisture content, cold water solubility, suspension stability, hygroscopicity, carotenoid encapsulation efficiency, and carotenoid retention during storage. A high initial carotenoid concentration after spray drying, a high encapsulation efficiency of 77.2%, and a slow carotenoid degradation kinetics favored the high carotenoid content of the cellobiose powder at the end of the storage. Cellobiose might protect the carotenoids from degradation processes by light exposure, high temperature, and oxygen due to a tighter particle crust and larger particle sizes. Therefore, cellobiose may be considered a potential carrier agent for the encapsulation of carotenoid-rich fruit juices.

Abstract Astaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant with several benefits for human health. Unfortunately, its utilization is limited owing to its poor water solubility and chemical instability during food processing. The aim of this study was to develop a high-efficiency encapsulation system through the assembly of O/W emulsions ionic interfacial membranes to enhance the stability of astaxanthin during the spray-drying process and storage. The emulsions were prepared by the sequential adding of ι-carrageenan and chitosan on the surfaces of the lupin protein isolate (LPI)-coated oil droplets containing astaxanthin. The Taguchi method was used to determine the optimal spray-drying process conditions. The results showed that highly stable emulsions were prepared with 0.20% (w/v) of ι-carrageenan and 0.15% (w/v) of chitosan on LPI-stabilized (1% w/v) oil droplets. Optimal conditions for producing the powdered emulsion with the highest encapsulation efficiency (96.3%) were: 160 °C of inlet temperature, 4 mL/min of feeding rate, 20% (w/w) of total solids content and tertiary emulsion. The multilayer powdered emulsions obtained resulted in high astaxanthin retention during storage compared to a primary powdered emulsion. The powders obtained showed high water solubility (>90%). The results obtained showed that this astaxanthin powdered emulsions have a great potential for its application as a functional ingredient in foods.

Abstract Zein-polysaccharide complex coacervations were modified using atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) technology in order to decrease zein's hydrophobicity and consequent aggregation. The ACP-induced interaction between zein and chitosan in 70% ethanol-water solution was investigated. To evaluate the application potential of the modified complex in nutrition delivery, the encapsulation efficiency and dispersion stability of resveratrol-loaded nanoparticles were investigated. It was found that the novel zein-chitosan complex coacervation re-assembled in 70% ethanol-water solution after ACP treatment, displaying smaller particle sizes (from 1191 nm to 370 nm) and higher conductivity (from 36.6 ds/cm to 43.1 ds/cm) than non-ACP-treated samples. UV–vis spectrum, IR, AFM and SDS-PAGE analysis demonstrated that the ACP treatment caused conformational changes and unfolding of the zein polypeptide chain, increased hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions between zein and chitosan. No effects were observed on the primary structure of zein. The aggregation of complex coacervations was also reduced after treatment. With ACP treatment (40 V), resveratrol-loaded nanoparticles showed higher encapsulation efficiencies (from 51.8% to 82.7%) and better dispersion stability compared to untreated samples. A possible assembly mechanism between zein and chitosan under ACP exposure is proposed. These findings clarify the interaction between protein and polysaccharide under ACP exposure and demonstrate the promise of ACP technology in modifying zein-chitosan complex coacervation as a promising delivery carrier in the functional food field.

This work offers a novel circular bioeconomy approach for producing functional food delivery platforms with antidiabetic potential by combining brown seaweed, Sargassum cinctum, avian eggshell waste, and Gymnema sylvestre extract....

Developing sustainable biopolymer matrices is essential for advancing functional food innovation. This study optimizes composite hydrogels formulated from sodium alginate and silk cocoon extract by comparing aqueous and hydro-ethanolic extraction systems. A comparative analysis of methodologies for extracting silk cocoon bioactive compounds revealed that aqueous extraction yielded a superior profile to hydro-ethanolic methods. The aqueous extract achieved a protein concentration of 30.41 ± 1.54 mg/L and demonstrated a DPPH radical scavenging capacity of 32.91 ± 7.26%, linking the functional bioactivity performance to its specific phytochemical composition. The macro-structural performance of formulated hydrogels—plain hydrogel (PH) versus extract-loaded hydrogel (EH) was evaluated via swelling, syneresis, and cryo-stability assays. Network hydration behavior was sensitive to environmental pH; at neutral pH (7.0), extract-loaded variant (EH) exhibited a controlled expansion with a maximum swelling ratio of 67.85 ± 4.89%, lower than that of the plain hydrogel (PH). Syneresis analysis revealed a stabilized liquid-phase retention in EH formulation (57.23 ± 1.46%) compared to PH formulation (48.91 ± 15.10%) demonstrating superior stability against syneresis of EH. Following freeze-thaw cycles, both hydrogels exhibited high structural integrity, with recovery rates of 84.35 ± 3.94% and 97.68 ± 0.28% for EH and PH, respectively. These findings establish a scalable framework for the effective formulation of nutraceutical composite hydrogel with superior water retention, reduced syneresis, and enhanced cryo-stability, demonstrating the potential of aqueous extraction to boost nutritional density and shelf-stability in health-promoting food products.

The increase in the demand of functional foods that have superior health advantages has heightened the research on the enhancement of the bioavailability of nutrients and bioactive components. Numerous nutraceuticals, however, (vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, lipophilic compounds) have poor stability, low solubility and low gastrointestinal bioavailability, which underlies significantly limits their functional efficacy. Nano-encapsulation has proven to be a potential solution to address these restrictions by encapsulating bioactive compounds into nanoscale systems that increase their stability, dispersibility, and controlled release. This review has thoroughly covered the nano-encapsulation technologies of enhancing bioavailability of nutrients in functional foods systems. Several food-grade materials, such as lipids, proteins, polysaccharides and hybrid composites, are addressed in terms of their encapsulation efficacy and delivery behavior. The types of nano-delivery systems, including nanoemulsions, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, and nanogels are discussed, as well as the methods of creating them and their effects on the features of the systems. Particular attention is paid to the processes of the improved bioavailability, such as the increased solubility, gastrointestinal stability, bioaccessibility, and cellular uptake. Various examples of nano-encapsulation applied to the various types of nutrients are also discussed that illustrate its potential in improving the functional properties of vitamins, minerals, polyphenols and other bioactives. Moreover, innovative developments of smart delivery systems, sustainability methods, and nano-enriched foods are discussed. These developments notwithstanding, issues of safety, regulatory systems, scalability and consumer acceptance are also critical issues to consider. In general, nano-encapsulation is a revolutionary method in creating the next generation of functional foods that have enhanced nutritional effectiveness and health-related benefits

Abstract The daily diet is important for our survival, health, and wellbeing. Functional food materials, which tailor the digestion process, can help maintaining and even improving human health and lifestyle. Knowledge on how food products, particularly food emulsions such as milk, interact with the digestive system, where they transform into supramolecular structures, can have a direct impact on the rational design of such advanced materials for functional food delivery applications. These materials have the potential to be personalized to digestive conditions and dietary nutrient requirements of the consumer or patient. They could help maintaining the uptake of codelivered nutrients and drugs even under compromised digestion conditions such as a fat maldigestion, a low bile salt concentration, or a limited lipase action. Such conditions are found, for instance, in preterm infants or patients with digestive disorders such as chronic pancreatitis or pancreatic insufficiency. Tailored nanostructure formation and transformation in these materials may further trigger the digestion rate and thus have an impact on the related feeling of satiety, which may help curing eating disorders and reduce the societal challenges of obesity and related diseases. In this contribution, the specific focus is set on discussing the equilibrium and dynamic colloidal properties of food emulsion droplets during digestion and their implications for designing nature-inspired functional food materials. These investigations provide a perspective toward the design of personalized food colloids.

In this study, the physical and chemical properties and bioavailability of lutein have been summarized, with the novelty of this work being the review of lutein from production to extraction, through to preservation and drying, in order to deliver a functional food ingredient. The potential health functions of lutein have been introduced in detail. By comparing algae and marigold flowers, the advantages of algae extraction technology have been discussed. In this article, we have introduced the use of closed-loop spray drying technology to microencapsulate lutein to improve its stability and solubility. Microencapsulation of unstable substances by spray drying is a potentially useful direction that is worth exploring further.

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A common challenge in hydrogel-based delivery systems is the premature release of low molecular weight encapsulates through diffusion or swelling and reduced cell viability caused by the low pH in gastric conditions. A second biopolymer, such as chitosan, can be incorporated to overcome this. Chitosan is usually associated with colonic drug delivery systems. We intended to formulate chitosan-coated pectin beads for use in delaying premature release of the encapsulate under gastric conditions but allowing release through disintegration under intestinal conditions. The latter is of utmost importance in delivering most functional food ingredients. Therefore, this study investigated the impact of formulation and process conditions on the size, sphericity, and dissolution behavior of chitosan-coated hydrogel beads prepared by interfacial coacervation. The size and sphericity of the beads depend on the formulation and range from approximately 3 to 5 mm and 0.82 to 0.95, respectively. Process conditions during electro-dripping may be modulated to tailor bead size. Depending on the voltage, bead size ranged from 1.5 to 4 mm. Confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy confirmed chitosan shell formation around the pectin bead. Chitosan-coated beads maintained their size and shape in simulated gastric fluid but experienced structural damage in simulated intestinal fluid. Therefore, they represent a novel delivery system for functional food ingredients.

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Currently, curcumin-based co-delivery systems are receiving widespread attention. However, a systematic summary of the possibility of curcumin-based co-delivery systems used for the food industry from multiple directions based on the functional characteristics of curcumin is lacking. This review details the different forms of curcumin-based co-delivery systems including the single system of nanoparticle, liposome, double emulsion, and multiple systems composed of different hydrocolloids. The structural composition, stability, encapsulation efficiency, and protective effects of these forms are discussed comprehensively. The functional characteristics of curcumin-based co-delivery systems are summarized, involving biological activity (antimicrobial and antioxidant), pH-responsive discoloration, and bioaccessibility/bioavailability. Correspondingly, potential applications for food preservation, freshness detection, and functional foods are introduced. In the future, more novel co-delivery systems for active ingredients and food matrices should be developed. Besides, the synergistic mechanisms between active ingredients, delivery carrier/active ingredient, and external physical condition/active ingredient should be explored. In conclusion, curcumin-based co-delivery systems have the potential to be widely used in the food industry.

Abstract Plant‐derived polysaccharides have emerged as sustainable biopolymers for fabricating nanoparticles (polysaccharide‐based nanomaterials [PS‐NPs]), presenting unique opportunities to enhance food functionality and human health. PS‐NPs exhibit exceptional biocompatibility, biodegradability, and structural versatility, enabling their integration into functional foods to positively influence gut microbiota. This review explores the mechanisms of PS‐NPs interaction with gut microbiota, highlighting their ability to promote beneficial microbial populations, such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria, and stimulate the production of short‐chain fatty acids. Key synthesis and stabilization methods of PS‐NPs are discussed, focusing on their role in improving bioavailability, stability, and gastrointestinal delivery of bioactive compounds in food systems. The potential of PS‐NPs to address challenges in food science, including enhancing nutrient absorption, mitigating intestinal dysbiosis, and supporting sustainable food production through innovative nanotechnology, is critically evaluated. Barriers such as enzymatic degradation and physicochemical stability are analyzed, alongside strategies to optimize their functionality within complex food matrices. The integration of PS‐NPs in food systems offers a novel approach to modulate gut microbiota, improve intestinal health, and drive the development of next‐generation functional foods. Future research should focus on bridging knowledge gaps in metagenomic and metabolomic profiling of PS‐NPs, optimizing their design for diverse applications, and advancing their role in sustainable and health‐promoting food innovations.

Probiotics are known as the live microorganisms which upon adequate administration elicit a health beneficial response inside the host by decreasing the luminal pH, eliminating the pathogenic bacteria in the gut as well as producing short chain fatty acids (SCFA). With advancements in research; probiotics have been explored as potential ingredients in foods. However, their use and applications in food industry have been limited due to restrictions of maintaining the viability of probiotic cells and targeting the successful delivery to gut. Encapsulation techniques have significant influence on increasing the viability rates of probiotic cells with the successful delivery of cells to the target site. Moreover, encapsulating techniques also prevent the live cells from harsh physiological conditions of gut. This review discusses several encapsulating techniques as well as materials derived from natural sources and nutraceutical compounds. In addition to this, this paper also comprehensively discusses the factors affecting the probiotics viability and evaluation of successful release and survival of probiotics under simulated gastric, intestinal conditions as well as bile, acid tolerant conditions. Lastly applications and challenges of using encapsulated bacteria in food industry for the development of novel functional foods have also been discussed in detail too. Future studies must include investigating the use of encapsulated bacterial formulations in in-vivo models for effective health beneficial properties as well as exploring the mechanisms behind the successful release of these formulations in gut, hence helping us to understand the encapsulation of probiotic cells in a meticulous manner.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a highly heterogeneous population of membranous particles that are secreted by almost all types of cells across different domains of life, including plants. In recent years, studies on plant-derived nanovesicles (PDNVs) showed that they could modulate metabolic reactions of the recipient cells, affecting (patho)physiology with health benefits in a trans-kingdom manner. In addition to its bioactivity, PDNV has advantages over conventional nanocarriers, making its application promising for therapeutics delivery. Here, we discuss the characteristics of PDNV and highlight up-to-date pre-clinical and clinical evidence, focusing on therapeutic application.

The increasing awareness of the relationship between diet and health has driven a growing demand for functional foods enriched with bioactive compounds. These compounds, including polyphenols, carotenoids, vitamins, minerals, peptides, and unsaturated fatty acids, provide countless health benefits beyond basic nutrition, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. However, their direct use in food matrices is often limited due to challenges related to instability, poor solubility, and insufficient bioavailability. The past decade has witnessed extensive exploration of plant-based delivery systems as effective carriers for bioactive compounds due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, low toxicity, and sustainable sourcing. Despite the enormous efforts and booming growth of scientific publications, our understanding of the precise release mechanisms of plant-based delivery systems within complex food matrices is limited. This review presents a unified and comprehensive description of plant-based delivery systems, dissecting their structural composition, formation mechanisms, and functional characteristics. We also explore how different plant-based carrier modalities, such as micro- and nanoparticles, emulsions, hydrogels, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), and vesicular systems, can be engineered to enhance the stability, solubility, and targeted release of bioactive substances. Additionally, this review comparatively examines the mechanisms underpinning controlled release, including diffusion, swelling, enzymatic degradation, and stimuli-responsive triggers. Lastly, we highlight key hurdles that hampered the practical implementation of plant-based delivery systems and propose some future directions to overcome them. The mechanistic insight of this paper is envisioned to enhance the health benefits of bioactive compounds and support sustainability in the food and healthcare industries.

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Squalene, a triterpenoid compound possessing excellent bioactivities, is not being utilized as a functional food ingredient due to its high susceptibility to oxidation. In the present study, the feasibility of chitosan-whey protein as an efficient wall material for squalene encapsulation using spray drying technique was attempted for functional food applications. The encapsulation efficiency of the squalene powder was found to be 75.4 ± 0.22% whereas other physico-chemical properties such as moisture content, flowability, solubility, peroxide value, etc. have shown satisfactory results. The thermogravimetric analysis showed that chitosan-whey protein was able to retain the thermal stability of squalene up to a temperature of 422 °C. Furthermore, the functional food application of the encapsulated squalene in a bakery product (cake) exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) better properties in terms of oxidative stability, sensory attributes than that of cake with pure squalene and control treatment. Hence, it can be concluded that emulsification of squalene in chitosan-whey protein and its subsequent encapsulation by spray drying can be a potential process to produce oxidatively stable encapsulates for the development of functional foods.

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Plant-derived exosome-like nanovesicles (PELNs) are bilayer membrane-enclosed nanovesicles secreted by plant cells, serving as carriers of various substances such as proteins, RNA, and metabolites. The mounting evidence suggests that PELN plays a crucial role in transmembrane signaling, nutrient transportation, apoptosis, and regulation of gut microbiota composition. This makes it a promising “dark nutrient” for plants to modulate human physiology and pathogenesis. A comprehensive understanding of PELN formation, uptake, and functional mechanisms can offer novel insights into plant nutrition and functional properties, thereby facilitating the precise development of plant-based foods and drugs. This article provides a summary of PELN extraction and characterization, as well as absorption and delivery processes. Furthermore, it focuses on the latest discoveries and underlying physiological mechanisms of PELN’s functions while exploring future research directions.