Oil Phase Ratio Research Articles

Alleviation effect of lutein Pickering emulsion formed by casein-dextran conjugates through Maillard reaction against blue light retinal degeneration

With the increasing prevalence of electronic devices, awareness of the risks linked to blue light exposure has significantly heightened. Lutein, a powerful antioxidant, safeguards eye tissue by filtering blue light, while supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) enhances retinal function. Adequate intake of these nutrients can help reduce the potential damage from prolonged blue light exposure. The protective effects of lutein and algal oil stabilized with Pickering emulsion were investigated using casein-dextran (CD) conjugates via Maillard reaction. Microstructural analysis revealed a three-dimensional network structure surrounding oil droplets formed by CD conjugates. With the increase of the oil phase ratio from 55 % to 80 %, the average size of Pickering emulsion droplets decreased. Pickering emulsion demonstrated higher viscoelasticity, excellent recovery, thixotropy, and good thermal stability as the oil phase ratio increased. The retention of lutein in CD-75 % Pickering emulsions showed significant improvement under various conditions. Simulated gastrointestinal digestion demonstrated that CD-75 % Pickering emulsions effectively enhanced the lutein bioaccessibility from 19.97 % to 48.99 %. In vivo experiments showed that lutein-loaded Pickering emulsion could effectively relieve blue light-induced retinal degeneration in mice. These findings suggested that Pickering emulsion can serve as a delivery system to protect lutein, offering a nutritional intervention to mitigate blue light-induced retinal degeneration.

Benzo-12-crown-4 and β-diketone bi-functionalized ionic liquids for highly selective lithium extraction from alkaline solution

Indeed, the efficient and sustainable recovery of lithium from highly concentrated sodium-containing mother liquors of Li2CO3 and salt-lake brines remains a significant challenge. Herein, two typical Li+ recognition receptors, namely benzo-12-crown-4 and thenoyltrifluoroacetone, were separately introduced into the cationic and anionic parts to successfully synthesize novel bi-functionalized task-specific ionic liquids [(B12C4)Cnim][TTA] (n = 4, 6, 8). A new, green, and high-efficiency extraction system has been developed by dissolving [(B12C4)C6im][TTA] in commercial room-temperature ionic liquid 1-hexyl-3-methyl-imdazolium bis(trifluromethylsulfonyl)imide [C6mim][NTf2], without the addition of any other co-extractants. The newly developed [(B12C4)C6im][TTA]-[C6mim][NTf2] extraction system exhibited a wide pH working range (4.0–11.0), high lithium extraction efficiency (95.4 %), as well as superior separation factors of Li/Na (βLi/Na = 2154.0) and Li/K (βLi/K=757.2). The extraction mechanism involving cation exchange was determined through slope analysis, ion chromatography, UV–vis spectroscopy and FT-IR spectra measurement, indicating that one [(B12C4)C6im][TTA] molecule can interact with two lithium ions and form a 1:2 complex. Moreover, the [(B12C4)C6im][TTA]-[C6mim][NTf2] extraction system also demonstrated fast extraction kinetics, facile stripping and regeneration, along with good cycling performance. Furthermore, a multi-stage countercurrent extraction process to extract lithium from the simulated mother liquor of Li2CO3 was evaluated. When the volume ratio (O/A) of oil phase (O) to water phase (A) was 1.0, only two theoretical extraction stages were needed to extract 91.4 % of lithium into the organic phase. Thus, the [(B12C4)C6im][TTA]-[C6mim][NTf2] extraction system is promising for lithium extraction from mother liquor of Li2CO3 and salt-lake brines. This study also opens the avenue for designing cationic and anionic bi-functionalized ionic liquids for metal ion separation.

Preparation, characterization, and stability of nano-emulsions loaded with the Moringa oleifera seed hypoglycemic peptide MoHpP-2

In a previous study, we successfully isolated and identified novel hypoglycemic peptide MoHpP-2 from Moringa oleifera seed protein hydrolysates. However, the peptide exhibited activity instability. To increase its stability, we employed a high-speed homogeneous emulsification method to prepare a MoHpP-2-loaded nano-emulsion. The optimal conditions for preparing MoHpP-2-loaded nano-emulsions were as follows: 5 % soy lecithin as emulsifier; medium-chain triglycerides as oil phase; water phase to oil phase ratio of 9:1; 0.05 % MoHpP-2 addition; and rotational speed of 19,000 rpm. The encapsulation efficiency of the nano-emulsion was 74.00 % and reached the nano-meter level with mean particle size of 162.05 nm. The resulting nano-emulsion was considered an oil-in-water type, and FTIR analysis confirmed effective embedding of MoHpP-2, and rheological analysis further indicated shear thinning behavior of the nano-emulsion. Moreover, the prepared nano-emulsion had good Na+ and pH stability, and significantly enhanced thermal stability of MoHpP-2 at 80–100 °C. Furthermore, the nano-emulsion had good stability when stored at 4 °C for 36 days. In addition, in vitro gastrointestinal simulation experiments revealed that the release mechanism of MoHpP-2 was found to conform to the Super Case II transport model. Overall, this study provides a theoretical support for the application of high-stability nano-emulsion loaded with MoHpP-2 in functional foods.

Preparation of Self-microemulsion Solids of Kaempferia galanga (L.) Volatile Oil and Its Effect on Rats with Gastric Ulcer.

Kaempferia galanga volatile oil (KVO), the main effective component of the medicinal plant Kaempferia galanga L., possesses a variety of pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-angiogenic activities and has therapeutic potential for gastric ulcer (GU). However, poor solubility as well as instability limits the clinical application of KVO. In this study, K. galanga volatile oil self-microemulsion solids (KVO-SSMEDDS) were prepared to improve its bioavailability and stability, and the therapeutic effects were evaluated in a rat model with GU. The ratio of oil phase, emulsifier, and co-emulsifier in the KVO-SMEDDS prescription were optimized by plotting the pseudo-ternary phase diagram with the star point design-response surface method. Based on the optimal prescription, self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) was prepared as solid particles (S-SMEDDS). The prepared KVO-SSMEDDS had a rounded and non-adhesive appearance, formed an O/W emulsion after dissolution in water, and had a uniform particle size distribution with good stability and solubility. It was administered to GU model animals, and the results showed that a certain dose of KVO-SSMEDDS solution could increase the content of gastric mucosal protective factors PGE2, TGF-α, and EGF in gastric tissues and serum, and the expression of inflammatory factors IL-8 and TNF-α was downregulated. Meanwhile, the expression of the NF-κB/COX-2 pathway proteins was inhibited. In conclusion, the prepared KVO-SSMEDDS has good dispersion, solubility, and stability and has a therapeutic effect on rats with GU.

Soft-template-assisted bottom-up fabrication of tunable porosity monolithic copper film for interconnection in microelectronics

Background: Third-generation devices offer superior attributes, necessitating advanced packaging materials for harsh operating environments. Incorporating 3D porous architectures to increase the reaction area further enhances the reaction rate, making transient liquid phase bonding an ideal interconnection process. Methods: Fabrication of monolithic porous Cu films using a bicontinuous microemulsion (BME) as a dynamic soft template is reported. The BME phase consists of interconnected three-dimensional networks of aqueous and oil phases, separated by surfactants and cosurfactants. This unique structure enables the selective electrodeposition of Cu exclusively within the aqueous region, preventing any unwanted reactions in the oil phase. Tunable porosity in the monolithic Cu film is achieved by adjusting the water to oil phase ratio in the BME. Significant findings: The Sn-plated porous Cu films exhibit low-temperature reflow capability while still maintaining high service temperatures. The utilization of the BME soft template offers a promising approach for fabricating monolithic Cu films with tunable porosity, providing flexibility in controlling the compositions and performance of interconnections. The compatibility of the BME with existing wafer deposition techniques makes it a viable and scalable solution for mass production. The electrodeposition of monolithic Cu arrays on Cu pillars demonstrates its potential applicability in advanced packaging technologies.

PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL EVALUATIONS OF TOPICAL RADIANCE SERUM CONTAINING NANOEMULSION COMBINATION OF ASTAXANTHIN AND ZEAXANTHIN: DESIGNED AS ANTI-WRINKLE AND SKIN-BRIGHTENING SERUM

Objective: The present study was conducted to formulate and evaluate the radiance serum containing the combination of astaxanthin and zeaxanthin nanoemulsion designed for anti-wrinkle and skin brightening serum by topical route of administration. Methods: The nanoemulsion containing astaxanthin and zeaxanthin was prepared using the self-nano emulsifying method, followed by incorporation into the radiance serum by the conventional mixing method. The quantity and ratio of surfactant, co-surfactant, and oil phase have been optimized in the previous study, as well as the radiance serum formula. The evaluation of the nanoemulsion and radiance serum was carried out by physical and chemical characterization. At the end of the study, an antioxidant activity of the serum containing nanoemulsion of astaxanthin and zeaxanthin was performed by DPPH method and the antioxidant activity was compared to its pure forms. The evaluation of the ex vivo permeation study was carried out to evaluate its possibility as an anti-wrinkle and skin brightener. Results: An astaxanthin and zeaxanthin nanoemulsion had a good physical properties with a globule size around of 20 nm (narrow particle size distribution), an entrapment efficiency range greater than 85%, and had a spherical morphology. The radiance serum had a good organoleptic and spreadability with the semifluid characteristic. Based on the result of antioxidant activity, the radiance serum had a highly active antioxidant activity. The radiance serum contained of astaxanthin and zeaxanthin nanoemulsion of 1% concentration, astaxanthin had a 2-6 times cumulative released compared than zeaxanthin (p<0.05) and all of the formulations exhibited a high skin permeation significantly. Conclusion: A formulation of nanoemulsion-based serum containing astaxanthin and zeaxanthin for topical delivery has been successfully developed. Based on the results of physical evaluation and especially from the permeation study, it seems that radiance serum containing astaxanthin and zeaxanthin nanoemulsion was potential to be used as an anti-wrinkle and skin brightening, however this function must be proven in further research.

Generation of cell-laden GelMA microspheres using microfluidic chip and its cryopreservation method

Gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) hydrogels have been widely used in tissue engineering because of their excellent biological and physical properties. Here, we used a microfluidic flow-focusing chip based on polymethyl methacrylate to fabricate cell-laden GelMA hydrogel microspheres. Structures of the throat region and photo crosslinking region on the chip, flow rate ratio of GelMA and oil phase, and GelMA concentration were optimized to obtain the stable and suitable size of microspheres. Cell-laden GelMA microspheres can be cryopreserved by slow freezing and rapid freezing. The survival rate of encapsulated cells after rapid freezing was significantly higher than that of unencapsulated cells. There was no significant difference between the results of the rapid freezing of encapsulated cells with 5% DMSO and the traditional slow freezing of suspended cells with 10% DMSO. It demonstrates the possibility that GelMA hydrogel itself can replace some of the cryoprotective agents and has some protective effect on cells. Our study provides new ideas to optimize GelMA hydrogels for cell cryopreservation, facilitating the off-the-shelf availability of tissue-engineered constructs.

Thymol-loaded Zein-pectin composite nanoparticles as stabilizer to fabricate Pickering emulsion of star anise essential oil for improved stability and antimicrobial activity.

The aim of the present study was to prepare a new antimicrobial Pickering emulsion of which the star anise essential oil was added to the oil phase, and to investigate the effect of stabilization by bio-based active nanoparticles consisting of zein and pectin loaded with thymol. First, the thymol-loaded zein/pectin composite nanoparticles (ZTNPs) were fabricated as uniformly distributed spherical nanoparticles with an average diameter of 200nm through antisolvent precipitation. Second, the effects of nanoparticles' concentration, oil phase ratio, and storage time on the stability of emulsions were explored according to particle size potential, interfacial tension, rheology, and micromorphology. Finally, the antibacterial results showed that Pickering emulsion inhibited Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus compared to the control group by nearly 7 log colony-forming unit/g at 36h, which was twice as much as the inhibition by thymol or star anise essential oils and ZTNPs. Therefore, the proposed Pickering emulsion with star anise essential oil could be used as a green and safe plant-derived antimicrobial agent in the food industry.

A smart material: Multi-stimulus-responsive composite microspheres prepared via RAFT polymerization as recyclable pickering emulsifiers and their application in stabilizing real oil phases

The development of smart composites to sustainably separate and recover oil from oily water had attracted much attention. In this study, tri-block (P(LMA-b-NIPAM-b-AA)) polymer brushes were controllably “grown on” the Fe3O4 surface by three-step surface-initiated reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (SI-RAFT) polymerization to prepare Fe3O4-P(LMA-b-NIPAM-b-AA) (MNPLNA) magnetic nanospheres with interfacial activity. The MNPLNA nanospheres were characterized to demonstrate the triple response of pH, temperature and magnetism. Meanwhile, the comparison experiments showed that the MNPLNA nanospheres with tri-block structure had excellent interfacial activity. Then, the O/W type of Pickering emulsion was prepared by using MNPLNA nanospheres as the particle emulsifier. The size variation pattern of Pickering emulsion was comprehensively investigated by adjusting the concentration of nanospheres, oil-water ratio, electrolyte concentration and polarity of oil phase. Pickering emulsions were controllably separated by the action of an external magnetic field, and could be reversibly switched at least 10 cycles between emulsified and broken states under the trigger of pH and temperature. In addition, MNPLNA nanospheres exhibited excellent emulsification properties for stabilizing variety of real oil phases (e.g., canola oil, kerosene, diesel and crude oil). Based on this, MNPLNA nanospheres were applied as smart multifunctional materials in simulated kerosene-containing wastewater separation. MNPLNA nanospheres could be used to recover kerosene with high recovery rate after 10 separation cycles under the stepwise action of pH, temperature and magnetic field.

Pickering emulsion stabilized by Haematococcus pluvialis protein particles and its application in dumpling stuffing

In this study, the oil-in-water Pickering emulsions were prepared using Haematococcus Pluvialis protein (HPP) particles as an emulsifier by a simple one-step emulsification method. The internal oil phase was as high as 70 % due to the excellent emulsifying properties of HPP, and the average size of oil droplets in the emulsion was around 20 μm. The emulsion prepared by 2.5 % HPP with the oil phase ratio of 70 % showed the best stability after 14 days of storage, and the emulsion could maintain stability at acidic condition, high ionic strength, low and high temperatures. However, all emulsion samples exhibited shear thinning phenomenon, and the higher HPP concentration and oil phase ratio led to greater G′ and G″ modulus. NMR relaxation results showed that high concentration HPP could limit the mobility of free water in the emulsion and improve the emulsion stability. The HPP-stabilized emulsion could inhibit the oxidation of oil phase during storage due to the DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity of astaxanthin (AST) in HPP. Finally, the nutritional microspheres based on HPP-stabilized emulsion showed good stability in traditional dumplings and could reduce the loss of AST and DHA in algae oil during the boiling of dumplings.

Preparation and Characterization of a Novel Natural Quercetin Self-Stabilizing Pickering Emulsion

In contrast to their well-known physiological properties, phytochemicals, such as flavonoids, have been less frequently examined for their physiochemical properties (e.g., surface activity). A natural quercetin self-stabilizing Pickering emulsion was fabricated and characterized in the present study. The antisolvent precipitation method was used to modify quercetin (in dihydrate form), and the obtained particles were characterized by light microscope, atom force microscope, XRD, and contact angle. The antisolvent treatment was found to reduce the particle size, crystallinity, and surface hydrophobicity of quercetin. We then examined the effects of the antisolvent ratio, particle concentration, and oil fraction on the properties of the quercetin particle-stabilized emulsions. In addition, increasing the antisolvent ratio (1:1~1:10) effectively improved the emulsification performance of the quercetin particles. The emulsion showed good storage stability, and the particle size of the emulsion decreased with the rising particle concentration and increased with the rising oil phase ratio. The findings indicate that natural quercetin treated with antisolvent method has a good ability to stabilize Pickering emulsion, and this emulsion may have good prospective application potential for the development of novel and functional emulsion foods.

Modulating hydrophilic properties of β-cyclodextrin/carboxymethyl cellulose colloid particles to stabilize Pickering emulsions for food 3D printing

This research investigated edible Pickering emulsions stabilized by polysaccharide complexes as inks for food 3D printing. The interface membrane structure in the Pickering emulsion system was formed using complexes consisting of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Except for provide sufficient steric barrier and electrostatic repulsion to increase the stability of the Pickering emulsions, the interface membrane constructs also can demonstrate good biphasic wettability and lower oil/water interfacial tension. The hydrophilicity of complexes (β-CD/CMC) was mainly adjusted by the ratio of β-CD/CMC (Rβ/C) and the substitution degree (DS) of CMC, which further adjusted the physical and chemical properties of Pickering emulsion to make it correspond to the rheological behavior applied to 3D printing. The stable Pickering emulsion (Rβ/C = 2:2, DS = 1.2, weight ratio of oil phase (φ) = 65 %) displayed excellent printing potential by characterizations analysis of Pickering emulsions. The smoothness, viscosity, and self-supporting ability of the Pickering emulsion under the optimized conditions were further analyzed using a filling density printing experiment of a cuboid model. The emulsifying properties of β-CD were adjusted by hydrophilic CMC to achieve the required amphipathic properties of the complexes to develop Pickering emulsions for food 3D printing.

Pickering emulsions with chitosan and macroalgal polyphenols stabilized by layer-by-layer electrostatic deposition

Due to the hydrophilic nature of chitosan, its use as stabilizers in Pickering emulsions requires of hydrophobic modifications that can be achieved by layer-by-layer electrostatic deposition. This study aims to explore and optimize the effects of multiple parameters (chitosan-polyphenol ratio, chitosan concentrations, oil-phase ratios, pH and NaCl concentrations) on the stability of Pickering emulsions stabilized by chitosan and macroalgal polyphenols. The binding mode of chitosan and polyphenols in co-stabilized Pickering emulsions was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), confocal scanning laser microscopy (CLSM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and contact angle. The emulsions had the highest physical stability (95.67 %) and specific surface area (2.21 m2/g) at: chitosan-polyphenol ratio 9.5:1 (w:w), chitosan concentration 0.5 % (w/v), oil-phase ratio 5 % (v/v), pH 6, and NaCl concentration 0 mM. FTIR, CLSM, SEM, and AFM evidenced that chitosan and polyphenols were bound by hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions at oil-water interfacial layers of emulsions that had a contact angle of 87.8°, indicating that polyphenols combined with chitosan had better ability to stabilize Pickering emulsions compared to chitosan alone. This study broadens the potential applications of naturally extracted macroalgal polyphenols for the development of Pickering emulsions in nutraceutical and functional food industries.

Alginate nanocapsules by water-in-oil emulsification and external gelation for drug delivery to fine dust stimulated keratinocytes

Methodologies for synthesizing drug-loaded alginate nanocapsules were optimized and indomethacin and phloroglucinol loading capacities were studied. Their biological effects were studied for ameliorating fine dust (FD) induced detrimental effects in keratinocytes. The 1 % alginate to oil phase ratio of 1:20 was the optimal parameter for water in oil emulsification. The oil phase was optimized to contain sunflower oil: span 80 ratios of 17:3. Nanocapsule drug encapsulation efficiencies were 36.91 ± 5.56 and 32.41 ± 4.05 % respectively for phloroglucinol (EG2P) and indomethacin (EG2I) while the loading capacities were 25.28 ± 3.36 and 23.15 ± 2.84 %. Dried nanocapsules indicated a 40–140 nm diameter range while their hydrodynamic diameter was 989.69 nm at pH 7.0. Nanocapsules swelling was pH-dependent and in releasing media of pH values 4.5, 7.4, and 8.5, the drug release indicated a complex mechanism of swelling, diffusion, and erosion while at pH 2.0 the drug release followed the non-Fickian release. EG2P and EG2I treatment dose-dependently lowered FD-induced intracellular ROS production, apoptosis and inflammatory responses mediated through the NF-κB pathway in FD stimulated HaCaT keratinocytes and reduced epidermal barrier degradation. Further research could investigate the use of this technique in formulating cosmeceuticals containing drug-loaded alginate nanocapsules for achieving controlled release.

Edible oil powders based on spray-dried Pickering emulsion stabilized by soy protein/cellulose nanofibrils

Stable O/W Pickering emulsions synergistically stabilized by heat-induced soy protein isolate (HSPI) and bacterial cellulose nanofibrils (BCNFs) were fabricated, and spray-dried to obtain edible oil powders. The emulsions with 0.2 wt% BCNFs and 2 wt% HSPI displayed homogeneous droplets size (<1 μm) and narrow size distributions, and had no obvious droplet aggregates at different oil phase ratios (10–20%) with 2 wt% beeswax. After spray drying, the obtained stable oil powders (35.9–56.8%) presented hollow smooth spherical structure with small and uniform size. The moisture content, flowability, bulk density and encapsulation efficiency of oil powders were improved by tuning the BCNFs contents and oil-to-water ratios of emulsions. Furthermore, the presence of BCNFs partially inhibited lipid hydrolysis, and oil powders with 0.1 wt% BCNFs performed optimum anti-digestibility with the minimum released FFA values of 72.5%. This work combined spray drying technique with Pickering emulsions for oil encapsulation, and optimized the emulsions properties to address the limitations of spray drying for liquid oil microencapsulation, which would provide some guidance for oil powders development.

Recovery of scandium from red mud by leaching with titanium white waste acid and solvent extraction with P204

Recovery of scandium (Sc) from various wastes is generally one strategy to solve potential supply shortage problems of Sc. This work proposes a synergistic process for co-recovery of Sc by using the acid titanium white waste acid (TWWA) to leach the basic red mud, to which the acidity was adjusted with concentrated sulfuric acid when necessary. First, the effect of adjusted acidity of TWWA on Sc leaching from red mud was studied when the acidity of TWWA was adjusted to 5 mol/L H2SO4, which inhibited the formation of silica gel in the leachate with a Sc recovery of 70%. Then, the volume fraction of 10% P204 (di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate)-5% TBP (tributyl phosphate)-85% sulfonated kerosene was used to extract Sc from the leachate under the most suitable conditions. Specifically, at an A/O (volumetric liquid phase over oil phase) ratio of 10 for 30 min at room temperature, over 99% Sc was extracted and almost no Fe and Al were co-extracted. The selective scrubbing of 99% Ti was achieved via 5 mol/L H2SO4–1% H2O2 at 60 °C with almost no scrubbing towards Sc. A solution of 3 mol/L NaOH was then used as the stripping agent, which resulted in solid Sc enrichment with a high stripping efficiency of 99%. The process generated a final Sc-enrichment product with a purity of 17.4% and a total recovery yield of 68.6%.

Recent Applications of Nanoemulsion Based Drug Delivery System: A Review

Nanoemulsions are drug transporters for the delivery of therapeutic agents. They possess the small droplet size having the range of 20×10-9-200×10-9m. The main purpose of using Nanoemulsion is to enhance the drug bio- availability of transdermal drug delivery system. With the help of phase diagram, we can select the components of nanoemulsion depending upon formulas ratio of oil phase, surfactant/co-surfactant and water phase. Nanoemulsion directly used as a topical drug delivery in skin organs. The most useable pharmaceutical application has been developed till date to provide systemic effects to penetrating the full thickness of skin organ layer nanoemulsions can be administered through variety of routes such as percutaneous, perioral, topical, transdermal, ocular and parental administration of medicaments. Nanoemulsions are transparent and slightly opalescent. Nanoemulsion can be prepared through various methods. Nanoemulsions are transparent and slightly opalescent. Factor affecting nanoemulsions are surfactant, viscosity, lipophilic, drug content, pH, concentration of each component, and methodology of formulation. It is unfeasible to test all factors at the various levels. Design of formulation when it comes to experimental design it gives an excellent approach through reducing the time and money.

Co-encapsulation of L-ascorbic acid and quercetin by gelatin/sodium carboxymethyl cellulose coacervates using different interlayer oils

A two-step emulsification prior to complex coacervation was employed to develop a co-encapsulation technology of hydrophilic and hydrophobic components for nutrition enhancement. Processing parameters of mononuclear ellipse-like microcapsules using gelatin and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose as wall materials were evaluated. The particle size and morphology of microcapsules and the encapsulation efficiency of L-ascorbic acid were significantly affected by the water–oil phase ratio and total biopolymer concentration. The L-ascorbic acid and quercetin co-encapsulated microcapsules with an average size of 65.26 µm showed good physical and chemical stability. The encapsulation efficiencies of L-ascorbic acid and quercetin were 69.91% and 88.21%, respectively. To predict the potential of functional lipids as hydrophobic carriers, microcapsules using soybean oil, olive oil, fish oil, and conjugated linoleic acid as interlayer oils were developed. The encapsulation efficiencies of hydrophobic compounds carried by different oils were similarly high (88.21–93.08%), whereas, hydrophilic ones carried by conjugated linoleic acid had the lowest encapsulation efficiency (32.54%). The interface tension results indicated that the interfacial stability was impaired by a competitive relation between conjugated linoleic acid and hydrophobic emulsifier at the interface, due to their structural similarity. These results provided the guidance for improving the quality of interlayer oils from microcapsules.

Cinnamon essential oil nanoemulsions by high-pressure homogenization: Formulation, stability, and antimicrobial activity

The antimicrobial activity and stability of essential oils are increased in nanoemulsion formulations. One of the main disadvantages of using plant essential oils is their low solubility in water. Nanoemulsion formulations of essentials oils can increase their water solubilities and facilitate their interactions with microbial cell membranes, thereby facilitating cell lysis. In this study, cinnamon essential oil (CEO) nanoemulsions were prepared by high-pressure homogenization, using an orthogonal test design to optimize the preparation conditions. The stability of the nanoemulsions during storage and its antimicrobial activity against various foodborne pathogens were investigated. The results showed that during preparation, the homogenization pressures, oil phase ratio, and content of modified starch can affect the particle diameter of the emulsion. The incorporation of medium-chain triglycerides into the emulsion can significantly enhance the nanoemulsion stability and effectively reduce the particle size of the nanoemulsions. The CEO nanoemulsions inhibited the growth of different microbial strains, although Gram-negative bacteria were more sensitive to these nanoemulsions than Gram-positive bacteria. These results are of considerable significance for the research and innovation of natural food preservatives.

Water-in-oil microemulsion: effect of Desmodium intortum protein isolate–emulsifier interaction, and its stability

ABSTRACT Water-in-oil (W/O) microemulsions exhibit delivery matrix and exhibit poor lipid solubility. Therefore, increasing the stability of W/O microemulsions is necessary to broaden their applications. In our experiment, a protein microemulsion system was constructed and its stability was investigated. The effects of surfactants, co-surfactants, quality ratio of them (Km) and hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) values were determined by using the pseudo-ternary phase diagrams and the area of microemulsions (MEs) as the indexes. The results showed that MEs’ stability was the best when the limonene was used as oil phase, Tween 20 + span 80 as the surfactant, and anhydrous alcohol as co-surfactant, if and only if HLB = 6.0 and Km = 3:1. Under this condition, the area of micro-emulsion was the largest, and the quality of microemulsion was better when the mass ratio of oil phase and emulsifier was 7:5.The protein microemulsion was a water-in-oil type, with a particle size of 1.41 ± 0.03 μm, containing 1127.37 ± 30.87 μg/g of proteins. Moreover, the temperature, light, and sample observation tests showed that the solution’s protein retention rate was lower than those in the microemulsion. Low-concentration NaCl, less than 9% of glucose and maltose exerted no significant influence on the protein microemulsion stability.