Fate of edible solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) in surfactant stabilized o/w emulsions. Part 1: Interplay of SLN and oil droplets

Edible solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) stabilized by a mixture of food grade emulsifiers (soy bean lecithin, Tween 20, sucrose stearate) were added to o/w emulsions previously stabilized by anionic SDS, non-ionic Tween 20 or cationic CTAB. The aim of the study was to understand the fate of both SLN and oil droplets in these mixtures focusing on the impact of the surfactant used to stabilize the emulsion. The presence of SLN in emulsions led to increased emulsion stability as reflected by droplet size measurements and accelerated creaming experiments. This could be attributed to an increase in the viscosity of the sample, but also to changed properties of the o/w interface. Zeta potential measurements revealed that the surfactant composition at the o/w interface had changed in SDS and CTAB stabilized but not in Tween 20 stabilized emulsions. SLN remained detectable in the continuous phase of each emulsion system over three weeks of storage but were not detected at the o/w interface of oil droplets. The particle size of the SLN remained unchanged whereas their zeta potential increased in SDS and CTAB stabilized emulsions to a similar magnitude (+/-68 mV) but opposite signs. The melting temperature and melting enthalpy of SLN decreased in emulsions indicating that part of the lipid matrix was dissolved by oil from the emulsion. Accordingly, a time-dependent transfer of crystalline triglycerides originating from the SLN into the oil phase of separated model emulsion systems was verified.