Preparation, characterization and release kinetics of ethylcellulose nanoparticles encapsulating ethylvanillin as a model functional component

Abstract

Food grade polymeric nanoparticles have the potential to play a key role in the future of active component delivery which is an essential characteristic of functional foods. For this potential to be realized, it is important to study both the loading and release characteristics of the encapsulated material from the particle matrix as a function of particle size, material properties and processing conditions. In this study, ethylcellulose nanoparticles encapsulating ethylvanillin as a model active component were prepared by electrohydrodynamic processing. The mean particle size varied between 45 and 85 nm and the polydispersity index between 16 and 34%. The loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency ranged between 67 and 81% and 71 and 84%, respectively. It was found that the release rate was a function of both the nanoparticle size and structure, and hence of the composition and processing conditions. FT-IR analysis demonstrated that there was no degradation of the encapsulated material during processing or whilst encapsulated within the particle. It was therefore concluded that electrohydrodynamic processing was a suitable method for producing nanoparticles that can be readily tailored for the encapsulation and controlled release of specific active components to engineer the functional characteristics of food products.