Liposomes and Emulsions – Liquid Formulations for more Bioavailability

Gebhardt, P. (2020). Liposomes and Emulsions – Liquid Formulations for more Bioavailability. food Marketing & Technology, June 2020, 8-9.

Liposomes (left) are characterized by a phospholipid double layer that contains an aqueous core that can be loaded with water-soluble active ingredients. In contrast, emulsion droplets have a single-layer phospholipid envelope which encloses a fat droplet or a lipophilic active ingredient. The preparation of emulsions requires a low melting point or sufficient solubility in oil. If these factors are not given, small fragments of the fat-soluble active ingredient are formed, which are coated with phospholipids and are thus kept in suspension in an aqueous environment for a limited time.

Phospholipids (lecithin) form the characteristic double layers of the cellular membranes of animal and plant cells. Because of their amphiphilic („both-loving“) character, they can mediate between water and fats, which allows many applications in food technology. Phospholipids can be used to produce emulsions and liposomes containing nutrients that provide a significantly increased bioavailability compared to the unformulated substances.