Elaboration and Properties of an Oil-in-Water Nanoemulsion Loaded with a Terpene-Enriched Oil Mixture Obtained Biotechnologically

Author(s)

Felipe, Lorena de Oliveira ; Bicas, Juliano Lemos ; Moreira, Rafael Chelala ; Alexandrino, Thais Dolfini ; Changwatchai, Teetach ; Nakajima, Mitsutoshi ; Neves, Marcos A.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ACS AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY; v. 1, n. 6, p. 9-pg., 2021-12-20.

Abstract

Biotechnological production is an economical and sustainable pathway to produce some natural terpenes of major industrial importance such as limonene (LIM) and alpha-terpineol (alpha-TOH). Thus, in this article, the raw and nonpurified product obtained from the LIM biotransformation (mixture of soybean oil, LIM, and alpha-TOH), namely as a biotransformation product (BP), was encapsulated into nanoemulsion (NEs) using Quillaja saponins as a natural small-molecule surfactant. Since the long-term physicochemical stability of the NEs is questionable, the emulsion was kept at different storage temperatures (5, 25, 50 degrees C) up to 280 days, turbidity and mean droplet diameter being selected as destabilization criteria. Furthermore, gas chromatography was applied to track and monitor the concentration of LIM and alpha-TOH that could be retained in NEs over time. The NEs that were kept at both 5 and 25 degrees C were considered stable up to the 280th day, although these monoterpenes were more retained in an emulsion stored at 5 degrees C. The results also showed that the NEs displayed substantial physicochemical stability at room temperature, indicating that the encapsulation of the BP may work as an alternative natural-friendly nanocolloidal system to deliver these monoterpenes in foodstuff. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 20/06814-3 - ENZYTERP: enzymatic biotransformation of terpenes for the production of bioaromas
• Grantee: Juliano Lemos Bicas
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 16/21619-7 - Evaluation of the biological properties of limonene biotransformation products
• Grantee: Juliano Lemos Bicas
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants