Encapsulation: A Strategy to Deliver Therapeutics and Bioactive Compounds?

There is a growing demand for efficient medical therapies without undesired side effects that limit their application. Targeted therapies such as deliveries of pharmacologically active compounds to a specific site of action in the human body are still a big challenge. Encapsulation is an effective tool for targeted deliveries of drugs and sensitive compounds. It has been exploited as a technique that can manage the required distribution, action and metabolism of encapsulated agents. Food supplements or functional foods containing encapsulated probiotics, vitamins, minerals or extracts are often part of therapies and currently also a consumption trend. For effective encapsulation, optimal manufacturing has to be ensured. Thus, there is a trend to develop new (or modify existing) encapsulation methods. The most-used encapsulation approaches are based on barriers made from (bio)polymers, liposomes, multiple emulsions, etc. In this paper, recent advances in the use of encapsulation in the fields of medicine, food supplements and functional foods are highlighted, with emphasis on its benefits within targeted and supportive treatments. We have focused on a comprehensive overview of encapsulation options in the field of medicine and functional preparations that complement them with their positive effects on human health.

The Potential Application of Pickering Multiple Emulsions in Food.

Emulsions stabilized by adsorbed particles-Pickering particles (PPs) instead of surfactants and emulsifiers are called Pickering emulsions. Here, we review the possible uses of Pickering multiple emulsions (PMEs) in the food industry. Food-grade PMEs are very complex systems with high potential for application in food technology. They can be prepared by traditional two-step emulsification processes but also using complex techniques, e.g., microfluidic devices. Compared to those stabilized with an emulsifier, PMEs provide more benefits such as lower susceptibility to coalescence, possible encapsulation of functional compounds in PMEs or even PPs with controlled release, etc. Additionally, the PPs can be made from food-grade by-products. Naturally, w/o/w emulsions in the Pickering form can also provide benefits such as fat reduction by partial replacement of fat phase with internal water phase and encapsulation of sensitive compounds in the internal water phase. A possible advanced type of PMEs may be stabilized by Janus particles, which can change their physicochemical properties and control properties of the whole emulsion systems. These emulsions have big potential as biosensors. In this paper, recent advances in the application of PPs in food emulsions are highlighted with emphasis on the potential application in food-grade PMEs.

W/o/w multiple emulsions: A novel trend in functional ice cream preparations?

Ice cream is a popular product worldwide. Unfortunatelly, it contains a significant amount of fat. In this review, promising strategies for the use of w/o/w multiple emulsion structures in creams are assessed. W/o/w multiple emulsions (MEs) enable reduction the fat without losing the creamy taste and mouthfeel and also encapsulation of sensitive compounds. The encouraging application and formation of MEs in ice cream mixtures is supported by the use of natural food ingredients, such as fiber, which helps to stabilize the whole system and improves nutritional value. The future trends may be focused on the target stabilizations using Pickering paticles (PPs). The possible advantages, manufacture, evaluation methods, and predicted future prospects of MEs in ice creams are discussed.