Lipid Nanostructures in Food Applications

Consumption of foods fortified with natural bioactive compounds has been linked to multiple health benefits and prevention of diseases. However, the direct application of such bioactive ingredients to food systems has been limited. This is because these compounds undergo quick depletion and degradation and are associated with low chemical stability and solubility, poor bioavailability, and oxidative deterioration. In order to overcome these limitations, the design and development of polysaccharide, protein, and lipid-based encapsulation matrices as delivery vehicles have garnered much attention. Particularly, lipid-based carrier systems have been extensively used for effective encapsulation and transport of hydrophobic compounds. Furthermore, the advent of novel lipid-based nanocarriers such as solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), nanoemulsion, self-delivery systems, liposomes, niosomes, micelles, and cubosomes have exhibited added advantages with enhanced protection, dispersibility and bioavailability, prolonged storage durability and sustained release of bioactive compounds. Nano-sized lipid carrier systems have displayed improved functional benefits over microencapsulation techniques owing to their unique structural properties. Even though these lipid-based nano vehicles have been widely used in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries, their successful implementation in the food system is determined by production methodology and scale-up ability.