Abstract
Encapsulation can be a suitable strategy to protect natural antimicrobial substances against some harsh conditions of processing and storage and to provide efficient formulations for antimicrobial delivery. Lipid-based nanostructures, including liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), and nanostructured lipid nanocarriers (NLCs), are valuable systems for the delivery and controlled release of natural antimicrobial substances. These nanostructures have been used as carriers for bacteriocins and other antimicrobial peptides, antimicrobial enzymes, essential oils, and antimicrobial phytochemicals. Most studies are conducted with liposomes, although the potential of SLNs and NLCs as antimicrobial nanocarriers is not yet fully established. Some studies reveal that lipid-based formulations can be used for co-encapsulation of natural antimicrobials, improving their potential to control microbial pathogens.
Highlights
The control of undesirable spoilage and/or pathogenic microorganisms has been a constant challenge for diverse fields, including medicine, agriculture and the food and pharmaceutical industries
Lipid-based nanoparticles are one of the most promising nanoencapsulation systems in the food industry because of their favorable properties, including the capacity to encapsulate hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds in the same structure, targetability, production with food-grade materials, and application in diverse products without undesirable effects [63]. Another advantage of the encapsulation in lipid nanostructures is the cytotoxicity reduction of the antimicrobials as compared with their free form, as some reports describe the reduction of toxicity of antimicrobial peptides loaded in liposomes [64], essential oils loaded in nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) [65] and natural extracts encapsulated in NLC [66]
In this example of the synergetic effect, the lysozyme hydrolyzes the peptidoglycan layer of the Salmonella cytoplasmic membrane favoring the antimicrobial effect of nisin on the Gram-negative bacteria, and this mechanism of activity is not affected by the liposome encapsulation, which was able to reduce the negative effect of the milk fat on the antimicrobials [29]
Summary
The control of undesirable spoilage and/or pathogenic microorganisms has been a constant challenge for diverse fields, including medicine, agriculture and the food and pharmaceutical industries. The occurrence of emerging pathogens and the raising of resistance to conventional antimicrobials makes the search for innovative antimicrobial systems to combat undesirable microbes a topic of utmost interest [1,2] In this regard, there is an increased demand for natural substances due to the growing concern about the utilization of chemical preservatives in the food sector and the use of conventional antibiotics in medical practice due to the rise of resistant strains. As lipid-based nanostructures have similar characteristics to that of natural cellular components, they can interact with cells and tissues They are non-toxic and biodegradable, and can be administered by oral ingestion. These characteristics have made lipid-based nanostructures very interesting for antimicrobial delivery. The aim of this article is to present a critical discussion on current and prospective applications of lipid-based nanostructures for the delivery of natural antimicrobial substances
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