Characteristics and storage stability of nanoliposomes loaded with shrimp oil as affected by ultrasonication and microfluidization

Shrimp oil, a rich source of n-3 fatty acids and astaxanthin, was encapsulated in nanoliposomes, prepared using ultrasonication (US) and microfluidization (MF) methods, to prevent oxidation during storage. Nanoliposomes prepared by US and MF were characterized based on particle size, structure and stability. The particle size of US nanoliposomes ranged between 40 and 284 nm, while MF nanoliposomes ranged from 214 to 928 nm. US nanoliposomes exhibited better centrifugal stability than MF counterparts (p < 0.05). Nanoencapsulation efficiency (NEE) of US nanoliposomes was higher (93.64%) than that of MF (75.18%) and remained constant over the storage of 8 weeks at 30 degrees C. Nanoliposomes showed higher oxidative stability during the storage than unencapsulated oil (p < 0.05) with better retention of EPA and DHA, particularly in US nanoliposomes. Overall, encapsulation of shrimp oil in nanoliposomes was proven to be an effective method to prevent oxidation of oil during storage and mask the undesirable fishy odor.