A food-grade nanoemulsion for delivering probiotics and prebiotics

The positive impact of probiotics and prebiotics on human health has been demonstrated by various preclinical and clinical experiments. Therefore, they are used as supplements in a wide range of food products, including packaged foods, drinks, pickles, etc. However, preserving their beneficial effects in functional foods during food processing and storage is a major challenge in the food industrial sector. So, an effective delivery system is needed to acquire and retain the therapeutic properties and control the release of pro- and prebiotics. The nanoemulsion-based system is a revolutionary approach for sustaining the beneficial potential of pro- and prebiotics in functional foods and also for the effective delivery of these bioactives. This chapter discusses pro- and prebiotics together with the emerging role of food-grade nanoemulsions as an effective delivery system into functional food products toward improving their stability, specific target approach, and prolonged bioactivity.