Advances in emulsion-based delivery systems for nutraceuticals: Utilization of interfacial engineering approaches to control bioavailability

Designing functional foods fortified with nutraceuticals is an important focus of modern food science with the aim of improving human health and wellbeing. However, many nutraceuticals have a low water solubility and poor physiochemical stability, which makes it challenging to incorporate into food matrices. Moreover, nutraceuticals may also have a low bioavailability after oral administration because they can either precipitate or chemically degrade, and/or might not be absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. Numerous strategies have been developed and applied to encapsulate and deliver nutraceuticals. Emulsions are a kind of colloid delivery system where one phase is dispersed into another immiscible phase in the form of small droplets. These droplets have been widely used as carriers to improve the dispersibility, stability, and absorption of nutraceuticals. Many factors affect the formation and stability of emulsions, with the interfacial coating formed around the droplets by emulsifiers and other stabilizers being one of the most important. Hence, interfacial engineering principles are needed for the design and development of emulsions. Different approaches to interfacial engineering have been developed, which can help to modulate the dispersibility, stability, and bioavailability of nutraceuticals. This chapter summarizes recent research in developing interfacial engineering approaches and their impacts on the bioavailability of nutraceuticals.