Nanoencapsulation of Hydrophobic Compounds in Milk Protein Edible Films
摘要
Edible biodegradable films are used for food packaging because they act as barriers against water vapor and degradation by oxygen or light radiation. When the starting system is a nanoemulsion, the presence of a hydrophobic phase in the formulation has the additional advantage that it may dissolve bioactive compounds of lipophilic nature such as carotenes, vitamins, or environmentally friendly bactericides. Some of these compounds may have high volatility, extreme instability to ambient conditions, or strong flavors that could surpass the acceptable sensory quality of protected foods. All these problems could be overcome by encapsulating the sensitive compounds in a film. This chapter describes the encapsulation of hydrophobic compounds in milk protein-based films. One strategy to improve the physical properties of emulsion-based films is the selection of a preparation method that reduces droplet size in the dispersed phase. In this chapter, the starting system for the preparation of the film is a nanoemulsion. The synthesis has three steps: preparation of a coarse emulsion using an Ultra-Turrax®-type homogenizer, preparation of a conventional emulsion by ultrasonication or using a high-pressure homogenizer or a microfluidizer, and removal of the solvent using a rotary evaporator. After the nanoemulsion is prepared, it is gelled with glucono-δ-lactone (GDL), placed in disposable polystyrene dishes, and the solvent is removed in a vacuum oven.