Designing colloidal structures for micro and macro nutrient content and release in foods

Abstract

We report on how edible nano-emulsions can be designed and produced in order to remain stable on storage. Edible nano-emulsions can potentially be used to target and control delivery of micronutrients to the human gastrointestinal tract. A class of microstructures that offers enormous potential in foods is duplex (or double) emulsions. In this paper we report the ability to design and construct particle and low molecular weight emulsifier stabilised edible duplex emulsions; i.e. Pickering-in-Pickering emulsions. This novel design opens up routes for significant fat replacement in a way that is imperceptible to the consumer. Having demonstrated the ability to design novel emulsion structures for food applications, we finally present data on how fluid gel structures can be designed and used in foods to give fat-like lubrication properties in the absence of fat.