An Overview of Nano-Scale Food Emulsions: A Mini Review

Abstract

Emulsions with droplet size in the nanometric scale (typically in the range of 20-200 nm, or milky up to 500 nm) are often referred in the literature as miniemulsions, nano-emulsions, ultrafine emulsions, submicron emulsions, emulsoids, unstable microemulsions etc. Due to their characteristic size, nano-scale emulsions appear transparent or translucent to the naked eye. They possess the ability of incorporation into optically transparent products, which gives the great potential of increasing bioavailability of lipophilic functional substances, that is,  nano-sized emulsions can be used in encapsulating of bioactive components, being as a carrier for bioactive components, and preventing their degradation.  Recently, nano-scale emulsions are also attracting increasing attention due to their characteristic feature of kinetic stability.  A kinetic stability that lasts for months, stability against dilution or even against temperature changes, totally unlike the (thermodinamically stable) microemulsions. These properties make nano-scale emulsions of great interest for fundamental studies of food, medical and pharmaceutical industries. The aim of this study is to present a mini-review on properties of nano-scale emulsions, and an overview of nano-scale food emulsion.

Keywords

• Nano-Scale Emulsion,Food,Applications,Bioactive Components,Encapsulation

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