Lyotropic liquid crystals and their dispersions relevant in foods

Major recent advances: Numerous reports during recent years concern colloidal dispersions of inverse lipid-water phases. Particles of the bicontinuous cubic phase appear to be the most important ones with regard to application possibilities, involving encapsulation of enzymes with stabilization of their native structures. New lipids have been found, which are able to form nanoparticle dispersions relevant to foods. Of particular interest is the incorporation of amphiphilic polymers in precursor types of lipid-water phases, resulting in spontanous formation of colloidal nanoparticle dispersions at exposure to an aqueous environment. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.