Nanoemulsions: formation, stability and an account of dietary polyphenol encapsulation

Summary To enhance nutraceutical performance, vehicle systems are required to promote the usage of food supplements, which have shown an increasingly growing demand. These food supplements such as dietary polyphenols are nutritious constituents but with varying solubility, sensitivity to oxygen, light, temperature, or adverse effects encountered during processing, making their incorporation difficult in foods. Additionally, these are bound to the food matrix so tightly, that they are not available to be taken up in the digestive system causing less absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. To counter these challenges, polyphenols are encapsulated in nanoemulsion‐based delivery systems which forms an effective approach to enhance and improve their bioavailability. Because of their small droplet size, these exhibit various benefits over conventional emulsions making them suitable for usage in the food industry. This review summarises the basic characteristics of nanoemulsions and their application to enhance the stability of polyphenols.