Nanoscale lipid bilayers, or nanoliposomes, are generally spherical vesicles formed by the dispersion of phospholipid molecules in a water-based medium by energy input. Nanoliposomes and tocosomes are able to provide protection and release of sensitive food-grade bioactive materials in a sustained manner. They are being utilized for the encapsulation of different types of bioactive materials (such as drugs, vaccines, antimicrobials, antioxidants, minerals and preservatives), for the enrichment and fortification of different food and nutraceutical formulations and manufacturing of functional products.
Method |
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
---|---|---|
Thin-film hydration method |
High solubility of ingredients in the initial stage of the process |
Use of potentially toxic solvents, time consuming, difficult to scale-up |
Ethanol/ether injection |
Simple procedure |
Organic solvent residue, nozzle blockage in ether system, time consuming, sterilization issue |
Reverse phase evaporation |
Simple design, acceptable encapsulation efficiency |
Not suitable for the encapsulation of sensitive material due to large quantity of organic solvent use, time consuming, sterilization issue |
Microfluidisation |
Control of particle size, large volume manufacture in a continuous and reproducible manner |
Employment of high pressures (up to l0,000 psi) |
Supercritical Fluid Process (SFP) |
Control of particle size, possibility of in situ sterilization, low organic solvent consumption |
High cost, low yield, high pressure up to 350 bar used |
Dual asymmetric centrifugation |
Simple method, yields products with narrow size distribution, high encapsulation efficiency |
Not suitable for bulk production, high pressure and high shear force |
Sonication |
Simple and fast technique |
Overheating of the sample causing degradation, sonicator tips releases metal particles into the product |
Heating Method |
Organic solvent free, scalable |
High temperature requirement |
Mozafari Method |
Simple design, safe and mild procedure, organic solvent free, easily scalable |
New method, Reproducibility need to be attested under different conditions |
Binary Nanodispersions |
Organic solvent free, not requiring secondary emulsifier |
Requires ultrasonication |