Chapter 10 - Nanoemulsification Technology in Improving Bioavailability of Lipophilic Functional Food-Grade Ingredients and Quality of Food Products

Abstract

Nanoemulsification technology is one of the emerging fields in food industry for encapsulation and delivery of lipophilic functional components. It involves the dispersion of lipid phase in an aqueous continuous phase, with each oil droplet being surrounded by a thin interfacial layer of emulsifier molecules. Due to entrapment of hydrophobic drugs, flavors, vitamins, preservatives, and bioactive lipids into nanoemulsion droplets, they are protected from external harsh environment, thereby improving their chemical stability and delivery performance. The small nanoemulsion droplets (<100nm) could provide better shelf-life stability, optical clarity, ability to modulate product texture, and enhanced bioavailability of those lipophilic components. This technology could improve food product characteristics such as texture, taste, other sensory attributes, coloring strength, and processing ability. It has now become evident that conventional strategies may not sustain the health benefits of the lipophilic functional components mainly because of their low bioavailability. Henceforth, nanoemulsification technology offers possible solutions for improving water solubility and enhancing absorption of lipophilic functional compounds in the gastrointestinal tract especially due to their small droplet size and higher surface-to-volume ratio. The food matrix ingredients can also improve the bioavailability of this class of compounds. This chapter provides an overview of nanoemulsification technology and the role of food matrix components on enhancing bioavailability of lipophilic nutraceuticals. The quality of food products after incorporation of nanoemulsified bioactive agents into food matrix is also discussed along with the toxicological concerns of the used lipid materials.