Emulsions, Nanoemulsions and Solid Lipid Nanoparticles as Delivery Systems in Foods

Many valuable food ingredients are hydrophobic small molecules that will tend to partition into the lipid droplets of oil-in-water emulsions. Controlling the structure of the carrier emulsion offers some way to modify their chemical stability, efficacy and release kinetics of the hydrophobic ingredients. This chapter is concerned with the properties of very fine emulsions of liquid oil (i.e., nanoemulsions) and solid fat (i.e., solid lipid nanoparticles). We consider the factors affecting the distribution of small molecules in a liquid oil emulsion and how this may impact their chemical stability. We then consider the process of crystallization in fine emulsions and how crystallization can yield to a redistribution of small molecules and changes in properties.