Formulation of lipid nanocarriers for the food bioactive ingredients

This chapter provides a description of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), which are lipid-based nanocarriers used for encapsulating lipophilic compounds, such as carotenoids, polyphenols, essential oils, and some vitamins. First, the formulation, production process, and applications of SLNs for encapsulating bioactive food components are discussed. Then, the discussion focuses on NLCs. The applications described in this chapter were developed during the previous decade. A comparison between SLNs and NLCs is then presented, and comparative studies are discussed. Emphasis is made on the structural difference between SLNs and NLCs resulting from the incorporating of liquid lipids in the latter, which gives them an edge over SLNs. By the end of the chapter, issues regarding safety are mentioned, and a summary of the current regulatory framework in various parts of the world is presented.