Nanoemulsions and Spray Drying

**45**

**Chapter 3**

**Abstract**

Oils Activities

Encapsulation of Natural Bioactive

Formulation to Enhance Essential

The microencapsulation technology consists of a trap of a compound inside a tiny sphere known as microsphere. The microencapsulation concerns many different active materials such as bioactive compounds, drugs, vitamins, enzymes, flavors, and pesticides. This technology has gained real interest in numerous fields such as agriculture, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, textile, and food. This chapter highlights the encapsulation of essential oils into nanoemulsion-based delivery system as a model for the encapsulation of natural bioactive compounds. Moreover, an investigation of different parameters affecting the stability of produced nanoemulsion was conducted, in addition to the study of the effect of the nanoencapsulation of essential oils on their antibacterial activity. Finally, an enumeration of the advantages of encapsulating essential oils into nanoemulsion-based delivery systems in

Compounds: Nanoemulsion

*Mariem Ben Jemaa, Hanen Falleh and Riadh Ksouri*

order to provide a natural food preservatives has been provided.

antibacterial activity, food preservation

present hydrophobic properties*.*

tive new approach to overcome these impediments.

**1. Introduction**

**Keywords:** encapsulation, nanoemulsion, essential oil, formulation, stability,

In recent years, natural antimicrobials attracted consumer attention due to the increased awareness regarding food safety. In this context, new approaches have been adopted in the food preservation field. This includes the use of natural compounds with proven antibacterial activities, like essential oils, as safe preservatives. However, the incorporation of essential oils in foods is not economically and practically ideal. As a matter of fact, essential oils are not only volatile and chemically unstable in the presence of air, light, moisture and high temperatures, but also

With this respect, the nanoencapsulation of essential oils seems to be an attrac-

Since the design of essential-oil-loaded particles is a complex process with interrelated steps [1], choosing encapsulating material and the encapsulation method should be in agreement with the intended matrix in which essential oils are to be introduced [2]. Basically, the nanoencapsulation of essential oils may imply coat, polymeric material, etc. to trap the core material in order to fix listed limitations of using essential oils as natural food preservative. Accordingly, different methods
