Fabrication and characterization of rice bran oil-in-water Pickering emulsion stabilized by cellulose nanocrystals

Effects of bacterial cellulose/thyme essential oil emulsion coating on the shelf life of chilled chicken meat

BACKGROUND

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a fiber substance produced by microbial fermentation. It is widely used in the food preservation industry because of its extremely pure texture, high crystallinity and high biocompatibility. In the present study, bacterial cellulose/thyme essential oil (BC/TEO-E) with antibacterial and fresh-keeping functions was prepared by ultrasonic treatment of modified bacterial cellulose for encapsulation of thyme essential oil, which effectively inhibited the spoilage of chilled chicken.

RESULTS

The purified BC, produced by Acetobacter xylinum ATCC 53524, was ultrasonically treated wih different times (0, 30, 60 and 90 min). Transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and zeta potential were used to characterize the structure of BC after ultrasound, showing that BC, treated for 30 min, had the optimal fiber structure, crystallinity (85.8%), thermal stability (347.77 °C) and solution stability (-26.63 ± 1.96 mV). BC/TEO-E was prepared by a homogenizer for the preservation of chilled chicken. Optical microscopy indicated that the BC/TEO-E prepared by 0.5% BC had optimal dispersion and stability, and even no delamination was observed in the emulsion. Compared with other groups (control, 0.5% BC and Tween-E), the total number of colonies and coliforms in chilled chicken treated with 0.5% BC/TEO-E was the lowest during the whole storage period (12 days), indicating that it can effectively inhibit bacterial growth. In addition, total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, pH and drip loss results showed that 0.5% BC/TEO-E could effectively inhibit the spoilage of chilled chicken compared to the other treatment groups.

CONCLUSION

All of the results acquired in the present study indicate that BC/TEO-E has a potential application in chilled chicken preservation. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Stability and Bioaccessibility of Quercetin-Enriched Pickering Emulsion Gels Stabilized by Cellulose Nanocrystals Extracted from Rice Bran

To investigate the optimal delivery system of quercetin, in this paper, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) extracted from rice bran were used to stabilize the Pickering emulsion and Pickering emulsion gels (PEGs) with quercetin. To compare the emulsion properties, stability, antioxidation activity, encapsulation rate, and bioaccessibility of the quercetin, four emulsions of CNC Pickering emulsion (C), CNC Pickering emulsion with quercetin (CQ), CNC Pickering gel emulsion (CG), and CNC Pickering gel emulsions with quercetin (CQG) were prepared. All four emulsions exhibited elastic gel network structure and good stability. The quercetin significantly reduced the particle size, increased the stability, and improved the antioxidant capacity of CQ and CQG. Compared to C and CG, the ABTS+ radical scavenging capacities of CQ and CQG were respectively enhanced by 46.92% and 3.59%. In addition, CQG had a higher encapsulation rate at 94.57% and higher bioaccessibility (16.17) compared to CQ. This study not only indicated that CNC from rice bran could be exploited as an excellent stabilization particle for Pickering emulsions, but also provided a highly stable and bioaccessible delivery system for water-insoluble functional active factors.

Physical properties and in-vitro gastrointestinal digestion of oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by single- and dual-modified cassava starches with cross-linking and octenylsuccinylation

The different modified cassava starches (MCS) obtained by either single or dual modifications with cross-linking (CL) and octenylsuccinylation (OS), including 2%CL, 3%OS, 2%CL-3%OS, and 3%OS-2%CL, were used to stabilize soybean oil-in-water emulsions (oil content 10% (w/w)) at a concentration of 4.5% (w/w) compared to native cassava starch (NCS) and their physical properties and in-vitro gastrointestinal digestion were investigated. The emulsions stabilized with NCS and 2%CL-MCS had larger oil droplet sizes, higher viscosity, and lower negative charge than the emulsions stabilized by single- or dual-MCS with 3%OS. All MCS-stabilized emulsions showed a higher emulsion stability against creaming than the NCS-stabilized emulsion. Under a simulated gastrointestinal tract, all 3%OS-MCS promoted droplet flocculation, while the less ionic NCS and the 2%CL-MCS showed a decrease in droplet size after passing through the mouth and stomach stages. The lipid digestion rate of emulsions stabilized with different MCS and NCS followed the following order: 3%OS >2%CL-3%OS > 3%OS-2%CL > 2%CL > NCS. The NCS- and 2%CL-stabilized emulsions had a lower lipid digestion rate, possibly due to the larger droplet sizes and higher viscosity of the initial emulsions, which delays access of lipase enzymes to lipid droplet surfaces, compared to all 3%OS-MCS-stabilized emulsions.

Pickering emulsions stabilized by soybean protein isolate/chitosan hydrochloride complex and their applications in essential oil delivery

In this work, fabrication of soybean protein isolate (SPI)/chitosan hydrochloride (CHC) composite particles stabilized O/W Pickering emulsions using soybean oil as an oil phase was optimized by examining the effects of pH, SPI/CHC mass ratio, SPI/CHC composite particle concentration and oil phase fraction on the stability of the emulsions. The results showed that under the conditions of SPI/CHC mass ratio 1:1, pH 4 and particle concentration 2 %, the SPI/CHC composite particles could stabilize the emulsions with oil phase fraction up to 80 %. At an oil phase fraction of 60 %, the emulsions had a minimum particle size. The microstructure, storage and oxidation stabilities and rheological properties of the emulsions were determined. Using this SPI/CHC composite particle-stabilized Pickering emulsion template, citrus essential oil (CEO) Pickering emulsion (CEOP) was prepared. CEOP was found to markedly inhibit two food-related microorganisms, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. In addition, the CEOP emulsion dilution (containing 4500 μL CEO/L) not only improved the water solubility of CEO, but also effectively retarded the browning and bacterial growth of fresh-cut apple. The SPI/CHC-stabilized Pickering emulsion template constructed in this work provides a promising alternative for the delivery of antimicrobial essential oils in the food industry.

Nanocellulose-stabilized Pickering emulsions: Fabrication, stabilization, and food applications

Pickering emulsions have been widely studied due to their good stability and potential applications. Nanocellulose including cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs), and bacterial cellulose nanofibrils (BCNFs) has emerged as sustainable stabilizers/emulsifiers in food-related Pickering emulsions due to their favorable properties such as renewability, low toxicity, amphiphilicity, biocompatibility, and high aspect ratio. Nanocellulose can be widely obtained from different sources and extraction methods and can effectively stabilize Pickering emulsions via the irreversible adsorption onto oil-water interface. The synergistic effects of nanocellulose and other substances can further enhance the interfacial networks. The nanocellulose-based Pickering emulsions have potential food-related applications in delivery systems, food packaging materials, and fat substitutes. Nanocellulose-based Pickering emulsions as 3D printing inks exhibit good injectable and gelling properties and are promising to print spatial architectures. In the future, the utilization of biomass waste and the development of "green" and facile extraction methods for nanocellulose production deserve more attention. The stability of nanocellulose-based Pickering emulsions in multi-component food systems and at various conditions is an utmost challenge. Moreover, the case-by-case studies on the potential safety issues of nanocellulose-based Pickering emulsions need to be carried out with the standardized assessment procedures. In this review, we highlight key fundamental work and recent reports on nanocellulose-based Pickering emulsion systems. The sources and extraction of nanocellulose and the fabrication of nanocellulose-based Pickering emulsions are briefly summarized. Furthermore, the synergistic stability and food-related applications of nanocellulose-stabilized Pickering emulsions are spotlighted.

Observation of curcumin-encapsulated Pickering emulsion stabilized by cellulose nanocrystals-whey protein isolate (CNCs-WPI) complex under in vitro lipid digestion through INFOGEST model

Curcumin-encapsulated Pickering emulsion (Cur-PE) was successfully prepared using cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs)-whey protein isolate (WPI) complex as a stabilizer to control the size and stability of the Cur-PE. Firstly, needle-like CNCs were prepared by acid hydrolysis, and the mean particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, and aspect ratio of the CNCs were 100.7 nm, 0.32, -43.6 mV, and 20.8, respectively. The Cur-PE-C_0.5W_0.1, prepared with 0.5 wt% CNCs and 0.1 wt% WPI at pH 2, had a mean droplet size of 230.0 nm, PDI of 0.275, and zeta potential of +53.5 mV. The Cur-PE-C_0.5W_0.1 prepared at pH 2 exhibited the highest stability during storage for 14 days. FE-SEM revealed that the droplets of the Cur-PE-C_0.5W_0.1 prepared at pH 2 were spherical and fully covered by CNCs. The adsorption of CNCs at the oil-water interface increases the encapsulation efficiency (89.4 %) of curcumin in the Cur-PE-C_0.5W_0.1 and protects curcumin from pepsin digestion in the gastric phase. However, the Cur-PE-C_0.5W_0.1 was sensitive to release curcumin in the intestine phase. The CNCs-WPI complex developed in this study could serve as a promising stabilizer to make Pickering emulsions stable at pH 2 for the encapsulation and delivery of curcumin to the expected target area.

Recent Trends in Improving the Oxidative Stability of Oil-Based Food Products by Inhibiting Oxidation at the Interfacial Region

In recent years, new approaches have been developed to limit the oxidation of oil-based food products by inhibiting peroxidation at the interfacial region. This review article describes and discusses these particular approaches. In bulk oils, modifying the polarity of antioxidants by chemical methods (e.g., esterifying antioxidants with fatty alcohol or fatty acids) and combining antioxidants with surfactants with low hydrophilic–lipophilic balance value (e.g., lecithin and polyglycerol polyricinoleate) can be effective strategies for inhibiting peroxidation. Compared to monolayer emulsions, a thick interfacial layer in multilayer emulsions and Pickering emulsions can act as a physical barrier. Meanwhile, high viscosity of the water phase in emulsion gels tends to hinder the diffusion of pro-oxidants into the interfacial region. Furthermore, applying surface-active substances with antioxidant properties (such as proteins, peptides, polysaccharides, and complexes of protein-polysaccharide, protein-polyphenol, protein-saponin, and protein-polysaccharide-polyphenol) that adsorb at the interfacial area is another novel method for enhancing oil-in-water emulsion oxidative stability. Furthermore, localizing antioxidants at the interfacial region through lipophilization of hydrophilic antioxidants, conjugating antioxidants with surfactants, or entrapping antioxidants into Pickering particles can be considered new strategies for reducing the emulsion peroxidation.

Dietary-Polysaccharide-Modified Fish-Oil-Based Double Emulsion as a Functional Colloidal Formulation for Oral Drug Delivery

Oral delivery is the most convenient drug administration route. However, oral delivery of peptides is extremely challenging due to the physical and chemical barriers within the gastrointestinal tract. Polysaccharides are often utilized as polymeric biomaterials in drug delivery. Among these, dietary polysaccharides extracted from okra, yam, and spirulina have been reported to stimulate innate immunity with well-known nutritional benefits. In this study, we developed a dietary-polysaccharide-modified fish-oil-based emulsion for oral co-delivery of a hydrophilic PD-L1 blocking peptide and the hydrophobic small molecule simvastatin. The optimal emulsion was nano-sized and exhibited a negative surface charge, high drug encapsulation efficiency of over 97%, low viscosity, and sustained drug release manner. The formulation could significantly increase the uptake of peptides by intestinal Caco-2 cells, which demonstrated the great potential of the formulation for promoting the oral absorption of peptides. Additionally, these dietary polysaccharides could promote dendritic cell maturation and cytokine expression in macrophages, demonstrating that these nutraceutical polysaccharides had dual roles of functioning as promising colloidal delivery systems and as potential immune modulators or adjuvants. Thus, this food-based colloidal delivery system shows promise for the oral delivery of peptide drugs and lays a great platform for future applications in immunotherapy.

Fabrication of Antioxidant Pickering Emulsion Based on Resveratrol-Grafted Zein Conjugates: Enhancing the Physical and Oxidative Stability

Lipid oxidation is still a major problem complicating the development of food emulsions. In this study, an antioxidant Pickering emulsion stabilized by resveratrol-grafted zein (Z-R) conjugates and pectin (P) complex particles was prepared. The hydrophilic pectin successfully adjusted the wettability of Z-R; when the mass ratio of Z-R to P was 2:1 (Z-R/P2:1), the three-phase contact angle was 90.68°, and the wettability of the particles was close to neutral. Rheological analysis showed that the emulsion formed an elastic gel structure. FTIR spectra indicated that there was a hydrogen bond and electrostatic interaction between Z-R and P. The disappearance of characteristic infrared peaks of corn oil was due to a dense protective film formed on the surface of oil drops by Z-R/P2:1 particles, which was confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The emulsion stabilized by Z-R/P2:1 had excellent physical stability at a wide range of pH values (4-9), salt ion concentrations (0.04-0.15 mol·L-1) and storage times (0-30 days). The anti-lipid oxidation ability of the emulsion was outstanding; after storage for 14 days at room temperature, the MDA content in the emulsion was only 123.85 μmol/kg oil. In conclusion, the Z-R/P2:1 particles prepared in this study can effectively stabilize a Pickering emulsion and expand the usability of the method for constructing antioxidant Pickering emulsions.

A fungal cellulose nanocrystals-based approach to improve the stability of triterpenes loaded Pickering emulsion

Depolysaccharide residues of edible fungus Pleurotus eryngii (dePSR-Pe), a mushroom industry waste, have abundant cellulose. In this study, the cellulose nanocrystals of P. eryngii (PeCNs) were extracted by hydrochloric acid. Results showed that the length of PeCNs is 469 ± 76.41 nm with a high aspect ratio of 40-100 and needle morphology. The structural characterization revealed that PeCNs had good thermal stability (approach 300 °C) and high crystallinity (84.2 %). An O/W Pickering emulsion stabilized with PeCNs was prepared to inhibit lipid oxidation and improve the loading capacity of triterpenes of P. coco. Unimodal size distribution of emulsion droplets was obtained under an optimized aqueous-phase condition to form a metastable emulsion, regardless of varying oil-water volume ratio <50/50. In vitro digestion study suggested that triterpenes-loaded Pickering emulsion had 1-3 times higher drug stability than bulk oil. These metastable Pickering emulsions call for fewer nanoparticles and provide a new strategy for the industry application of cellulose nanocrystals at less cost.

Effect of Mixed Particulate Emulsifiers on Spray-Dried Avocado Oil-in-Water Pickering Emulsions

Avocado oil is a very valuable agro-industrial product which can be perishable in a short time if it is not stored in the right conditions. The encapsulation of the oils through the spray drying technique protects them from oxidation and facilitates their incorporation into different pharmaceutical products and food matrices; however, the selection of environmentally friendly emulsifiers is a great challenge. Four formulations of the following solid particles: Gum Arabic, HI-CAP^®100 starch, and phosphorylated waxy maize starch, were selected to prepare avocado oil Pickering emulsions. Two of the formulations have the same composition, but one of them was emulsified by rotor-stator homogenization. The rest of the emulsions were emulsified by combining rotor-stator plus ultrasound methods. The protective effect of mixed particle emulsifiers in avocado oil encapsulated by spray drying was based on the efficiency of encapsulation. The best results were achieved when avocado oil was emulsified with a mixture of phosphorylated starch/HI-CAP^®100, where it presented the highest encapsulation efficiency.

Emulsions stabilized by cellulose-based nanoparticles for curcumin encapsulations: In vitro antioxidant properties

To improve the dispersity and antioxidant properties of curcumin, curcumin emulsions covered with cellulose particles (CP) with different structures were successfully prepared, and the structural characteristics, stability, and antioxidant properties of emulsions were investigated. The results showed that the CP obtained by increasing the hydrolysis time had smaller particle size, better water dispersion, and interfacial adsorption capacity. The encapsulation efficiency of curcumin in emulsion stabilized by cellulose particle hydrolyzed for 10 h can reach about 80%. After 9 days, all emulsions showed good stability, and no obvious creamed layer was observed. Compared to cellulose particles hydrolyzed for 2 h (CP2), emulsions stabilized by cellulose particles hydrolyzed for 6 h (CP6) and 10 h (CP10) exhibited better stability and free fatty acid (FFA) release. Meanwhile, the DPPH scavenging activity of curcumin emulsion stabilized by CP significantly increased with increasing the hydrolysis time and was much higher than that of pure emulsion and curcumin/water due to the higher solubility (1,455 times compared with curcumin/water solution) of curcumin, and these results could provide useful data for the stability and encapsulation of curcumin.

Stabilization of Pickering emulsions via synergistic interfacial interactions between cellulose nanofibrils and nanocrystals

Nanocellulose is a promising stabilizer for industrial emulsions that offers the advantages of sustainability, biodegradability and nontoxicity. Emulsions prepared using cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) and nanocrystals (CNCs) in mildly acidic lithium bromide trihydrate (MALBTH) were characterized in this study. At fixed CNCs concentration (0.3 wt%), increasing the CNF content from 0 to 0.9 wt% clearly influenced the stability and microstructure of Pickering emulsions. The Oil droplets size decreased and stabilized with increasing CNF loading. This emulsification behavior was attributed to the irreversible adsorption of CNCs on the surface of the oil droplets and the formation of a dense CNF network in the aqueous phase, thereby improving the emulsion stability. The universal applicability of the proposed method was verified using cyclohexane and edible olive oil as oil phases. Overall, this study may provide a novel means of producing all-natural, low-oil, food-grade emulsions with adjustable stability.

Oxidative stability of Pickering emulsions

•

Oxidative stability of O/W Pickering emulsions depends on their interfacial layer.

•

Solid particles can reduce Pickering emulsion oxidation by creating a thick interface.

•

Manipulating the charge of the interface can control Pickering emulsion oxidation.

•

Adding antioxidants to solid particles can reduce oxidation in Pickering emulsions.

In recent years, Pickering emulsions have been the focus of growing interest because of their possible role as alternatives to conventional emulsions. Some reviews have investigated the physical stability of Pickering emulsions, but the oxidative stability of these emulsions remains largely unexplored. In this review, the oxidation mechanism and factors affecting lipid oxidation rates in Pickering emulsions are discussed. Then, different food-grade solid particles are evaluated for their ability to stabilize Pickering emulsions. Finally, several strategies are reviewed for improving the oxidative stability of Pickering emulsions. These strategies are based on efforts to manipulate the physical and chemical properties of the interfacial layer, increase the concentration of antioxidants at the interfacial layer through incorporating them into solid particles, cause oil droplets to crowd at high packing fractions, trap oil droplets in a gel network and increase the viscosity of the continuous phase.

Influence of Carboxymethyl Cellulose on the Stability, Rheological Property, and in-vitro Digestion of Soy Protein Isolate (SPI)-Stabilized Rice Bran Oil Emulsion

In this study, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) was added to soybean protein isolate (SPI)-stabilized rice bran oil (RBO) emulsion to improve its physicochemical stability and free fatty acid (FFA) release characteristics. RBO emulsions stabilized by SPI and various contents of CMC were prepared and assessed by measuring zeta potential, particle size, transmission, and microstructure, the rheological properties were analyzed by dynamic shear rheometer. In addition, its chemical stability was characterized by a storage experiment, and the FFA release was explored by a simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) model. It showed that the negative charge of the droplets of RBO emulsion was increased with increasing CMC content. The decrease in transmission of SPI-stabilized RBO emulsion with increasing CMC content was due to the droplets not being free to move by the special network interaction and an increase in the viscosity. According to the determination of the reactive substances of lipid hydroperoxide and thiobarbituric acid during 30 days storage at 37°C, the chemical stability of the emulsion added with CMC was enhanced compared with the SPI-stabilized RBO emulsion. In-vitro digestion studies not only evaluated the structural changes of RBO emulsions at different stages, but also found that RBO emulsion with CMC showed a higher level of free fatty acids release in comparison with that without CMC. It indicated that the utilization of CMC can improve the bioavailability of RBO emulsions.

Cellulose I nanocrystals (CNCs I) prepared in mildly acidic lithium bromide trihydrate (MALBTH) and their application for stabilizing Pickering emulsions

This study proposed a sustainable method to prepare cellulose I nanocrystals (CNCs I) from microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) in a mildly acidic lithium bromide trihydrate (MALBTH) system, a concentrated (50 wt%) solution of LiBr in water with recyclable formic acid (FA). First, the MCC was treated in the MALBTH system to generate CNCs with a uniform size, yield higher than 68.49% and crystallinity of 84.02%. Then, the CNCs could application for stabilizing Pickering emulsions for at least 15 days. Furthermore, FA was easily recycled from the MALBTH system, and the yield of the CNCs produced from the hydrolysis of MCC by using the recycled FA was still higher than 60%. Finally, this study provided a sustainable and green production of CNCs. A low-cost and environmentally friendly pathway to recover FA from the MALLBTH system at a high yield was still realized.

Recent Developments in the Formulation and Use of Polymers and Particles of Plant-based Origin for Emulsion Stabilizations

The main scope of this Review was the recent progress in the use of plant-based polymers and particles for the stabilization of Pickering and non-Pickering emulsion systems. Due to their availability and promising performance, it was discussed how the source, modification, and formulation of cellulose, starch, protein, and lignin-based polymers and particles would impact their emulsion stabilization. Special attention was given toward the material synthesis in two forms of polymeric surfactants and particles and the corresponding formulated emulsions. Also, the effects of particle size, degree of aggregation, wettability, degree of substitution, and electrical charge in stabilizing oil/water systems and micro- and macro-structures of oil droplets were discussed. The wide range of applications using such plant-based stabilizers in different technologies as well as their challenge and future perspectives were described.

Preparation of palm (Elaeis oleifera) pressed fibre cellulose nanocrystals via cation exchange resin: characterisation and evaluation as Pickering emulsifier

BACKGROUND

Palm pressed fibre (PPF) is a cellulose-rich biomass residue produced during palm oil extraction. Its high cellulose content allows the isolation of cellulose nanocrystal (CNC). CNC has attracted scientific interest due to its biodegradability, biocompatibility and low cost. The present study isolated CNC from PPF using a cation exchange resin, which is an environmentally friendly and less harsh hydrolysis method than conventional mineral acid hydrolysis. Isolated CNC was used to stabilise an oil-in-water emulsion and the emulsion stability was evaluated in terms of droplet size, morphology and physical stability.

RESULTS

PPF was subjected to alkali and bleach treatment prior to hydrolysis, which successfully removed 54% and 75% of non-cellulosic components (hemicellulose and lignin, respectively). Hydrolysis conditions of 5 h, 15:1 (w/w) resin-to-pulp ratio and 50 °C produced CNC particles of 50-100 nm in length. CNC had a crystallinity index of 42% and appeared rod-like morphologically. CNC-stabilised emulsion had better stability when used in combination with soy lecithin (SL), a well-established, commonly used food stabiliser. Emulsion stabilised by the binary mixture of CNC and SL had droplet size, morphology and physical stability comparable to those of emulsion stabilised using SL.

CONCLUSIONS

CNC was successfully isolated from PPF through a cation exchange resin. This offers an alternative usage for the underutilised PPF to be converted into value-added products. Isolated CNC was also found to have promising potential in the stabilisation of Pickering emulsions. These results provide useful information indicating CNC as a natural and sustainable stabiliser for food, cosmeceutical and pharmaceutical applications. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Emulsion, hydrogel and emulgel systems and novel applications in cannabinoid delivery: a review

Emulsions, hydrogels and emulgels have attracted a high interest as tools for the delivery of poorly soluble hydrophobic nutraceuticals by enhancing their stability and bioavailability. This review provides an overview of these delivery systems, their unique qualities and their interactions with the human gastrointestinal system. The modulation of the various delivery systems to enhance the bioavailability and modify the release profile of bioactive encapsulates is highlighted. The application of the delivery systems in the delivery of cannabinoids is also discussed. With the recent increase of cannabis legalization across North America, there is much interest in developing cannabis edibles which can provide a consistent dose of cannabinoids per portion with a rapid time of onset. Indeed, the long time of onset of psychoactive effects and varied metabolic responses to these products result in a high risk of severe intoxication due to overconsumption. Sophisticated emulsion or hydrogel-based delivery systems are one potential tool to achieve this goal. To date, there is a lack of evidence linking specific classes of delivery systems with their pharmacokinetic profiles in humans. More research is needed to directly compare different classes of delivery systems for the gastrointestinal delivery of cannabinoids.

Tea polyphenols encapsulated in W/O/W emulsions with xanthan gum-locust bean gum mixture: Evaluation of their stability and protection

Herein, improvement of the stability of the water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsions by addition of xanthan gum (XG)/locust bean gum (LBG) mixture in the inner water phase was aimed. The impact of XG/LBG mixture on the physical stability, microstructure and rheological properties of W/O/W emulsions was investigated. It was found that, compared with the control emulsions, the presence of XG/LBG mixture could improve the stability of W/O/W emulsions against coalescence. The tea polyphenols (TPPs) and XG/LBG mixture were simultaneously included in the internal aqueous phase of the double emulsion and stored at 25 and 40 °C in the dark for 28 d. The results showed that XG/LBG mixture not only had a protective role for TPPs encapsulated in the internal water phase, but also maintained more than 50% of the antioxidant capacity of TPPs.

Graphene Oxide Increases Corneal Permeation of Ciprofloxacin Hydrochloride from Oleogels: A Study with Cocoa Butter-Based Oleogels

In this work, oleogels of cocoa butter (CB), rice bran oil (RBO), and graphene oxide (GO) were prepared. The prepared oleogels were subjected to various characterization techniques such as bright-field microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), crystallization kinetics, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and mechanical studies. The influence of increasing GO content on the in vitro drug release and ex vivo corneal permeation of the model drug (ciprofloxacin HCl-CPH) from the oleogels was also investigated. Bright-field micrographs showed that increment in GO content reduced the size of the globular particles of CB. XRD analysis revealed that CB was crystallized in its β' and β polymorphic forms in the oleogels, which was in agreement with thermal studies. The mechanical characterization demonstrated that the presence of GO improved the elastic nature and stress-bearing properties of the oleogels. Moreover, GO altered the crystallization kinetics of CB in the oleogels in a composition-dependent manner. The in vitro release of CPH from the oleogels occurred through either Fickian diffusion or fat network relaxation or a combination thereof. Furthermore, the inclusion of GO enhanced the ex vivo permeation of CPH molecules across the caprine cornea. Hence, we concluded that the prepared oleogels could be explored as potential delivery systems for ophthalmic applications.

Interest of Pickering Emulsions for Sustainable Micro/Nanocellulose in Food and Cosmetic Applications

In the present review, natural and non-toxic particles made of micro/nanocellulose were specifically targeted as stabilizers of emulsions located at dispersed and continuous phases interfaces (called Pickering Emulsions, PEs). PEs are biphasic systems stabilized by solid particles with a recent interest in food and cosmetic domains. PEs have been more and more studied in the last ten years due to their advantages compared to conventional emulsions with surfactants. PEs have already been stabilized with various types of particles and particularly cellulose. Even if some studies showed that PEs were more stable when cellulose was chemically modified, numerous other recent studies showed that unmodified micro/nanocellulose is also promising biomaterial to stabilize PEs. Micro/nanocelluloses can be extracted by various green processes from numerous agricultural wastes and co-products, as banana peels, corncob, ginkgo seed shells, lime residues, mangosteen rind, oil palm empty fruit bunches, pistachio shells, as well as wheat straw. Main green processes used to treat cellulose are grinding, high pressure homogenization, microfluidization, enzymatic hydrolysis, subcritical water, extrusion, electron beam irradiation, cryocrushing, microwaves or sonication. PEs formulated with cellulose clearly participate to a global sustainable development but, additional studies will be necessary to better understand PEs stability and improve properties.

Synthesis and conservation of cellulose nanocrystals

This work deals with the preparation of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) from microcrystalline cellulose by acid hydrolysis, discusses how their characteristics varied according to the drying technique used for their conservation and analyzes their re-dispersion in water. A stable water dispersion of "rod" or "needle" type CNC (≈5 nm of diameter, 276 nm of length and 41 mV of Z potencial) was initially prepared and then dried by lyophilization and spray. Thus powders with similar cristalinity but different morphology were obtained, while CNC seemed to aggregate in such an extent that hindered their re-dispersion in water. Only lyophilized CNC could be re-dispersed in water and maintained stable in dispersion for at least 24 h, when working with concentrations of CNC higher than a certain minimum value (3 %) and after submitting them to intense ultrasound treatments. The tested time achieved should be enough to allow their subsequent use in several applications.

Digital image colorimetric analysis for evaluating lipid oxidation in oils and its emulsion

Optical analytical images were captured by a digital camera, and lipid peroxidation was monitored using colorimetric determination. The Image-J method was shown to have comparable accuracy to the conventional titration (American Oil Chemists' Society) and UV-Vis spectroscopic methods. Over the PV range 3-14 meq.O₂/kg, a good correlation (R² = 0.9836) was found between the proposed method and UV-Vis method with an SD of ±0.0339 meq.O₂/kg. The range and accuracy of detection were determined from the changes in the Image-J intensity values. At equivalent PV, the limit of detection was 0.175 meq.O₂/kg and the limit of quantitation was 0.35 meq.O₂/kg. The proposed Image-J application can be used to develop fast and portable devices for monitoring peroxide values. These have potential applications in quality control for small-scale farmers and small and medium enterprises.

Prediction of droplet sizes for oil-in-water emulsion systems assisted by ultrasound cavitation: Transient scaling law based on dynamic breakup potential

The dynamics of droplet breakup during emulsification is a complicated process due to the interplay between multiple physico-chemical and hydrodynamic factors, especially in an energy-intensive ultrasound-assisted emulsification process. In this work, by mapping the physical processing parameters of ultrasound emulsification into a reduced domain that is governed by the power density and the initial average droplet diameter, a dimensionless parameter that resembles the dynamic breakup potential (η) was established via dimensional analysis. In addition to shedding important insights into the emulsification process, η further facilitates the establishment of a transient scaling relationship that is a function of the characteristic value (a) of the emulsion system. Experimental case study on a cellulose nanocrystals (CNC)-based olein-in-water emulsion system prepared via ultrasound cavitation confirmed the validity of the scaling relationship and sub-universal self-similarity was observed. Using the proposed model, good predictions of the transient of droplet size evolution were attained where the value of η, i.e. the proportionality constant, can be conveniently computed using data from a single time point. Application on other emulsion systems further suggested that the value of a possibly indicates the relative minimum size limit of a particular fluids-emulsifier system. Our approach is general, which encourages widespread adoption for emulsification related studies.

Formulation of water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsions containing trans-resveratrol

Resveratrol is a high-value bioactive polyphenolic compound with vast applications in functional foods; as such, effective and scalable delivery strategies for this compound are worthy of study.