ABSTRACT
Many nutraceuticals, antimicrobial agents, or preservatives have low solubility in foods and beverages or are sensitive to degradation by environmental agents such as free radicals or enzymes. Encapsulation in nanocarriers increases the effective concentration of such compounds in foods, while protecting them from the surrounding environmental conditions. This chapter examines a variety of nanoparticle types and discusses their characteristics, with an emphasis on advantages and disadvantages related to their usage in foods and beverages. Systems include particles for the solubilization of hydrophobic compounds (emulsions, Pickering emulsions, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructures lipid carriers) and ones designed for the encapsulation of hydrophilic active ingredients (liposomes, polymersomes, colloidosomes) (Table 20.1).
Comparing the Properties of Nanoparticles for the Encapsulation of Hydrophobic Compounds in Aqueous-Based FoodsType
Shell Materials
Core Phase
Loading Efficiency/Capacity
Mechanical Stability
Stability
Type of Release
Emulsions
Molecular emulsifiers: surfactants, phospholipids, proteins
Liquid
High/high
Low
Low
Slow leakage or burst
Microemulsions
Molecular emulsifiers: surfactants, phospholipids, proteins
Liquid
High/high
Low
High
Slow leakage or burst
Pickering emulsions
CPs (inorganic or organic)
Liquid
High/high
High
High
Burst
SLN
Molecular emulsifiers: surfactants, phospholipids, proteins
Solid
High/low
High
High
Slow leakage
NLC
Molecular emulsifiers: surfactants, phospholipids, proteins
Mixed solid and liquid domains
High/moderate a
Moderate a
Moderate a
Slow leakage
Can vary greatly, depending on the specific formulation.
