Innovative multiple nanoemulsion (W/O/W) based on Chilean honeybee pollen improves their permeability, antioxidant and antibacterial activity

• Published in: Food research international 2023-06, Vol.168, p.112767-112767, Article 112767
• Main Authors: Valdivia-Olivares, R.Y., Martinez-González, E.A., Montenegro, G., Bridi, R., Alvarez-Figueroa, M.J., González-Aramundiz, J.V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Bees; Chile; Complex matrix nanoencapsulation; Functional foods; Honeybee pollen; Multiple nanoemulsion; Permeability; Phenols; Pollen; Polyphenols; W/O/W nanoemulsions
• ISSN: 0963-9969; 1873-7145
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2023.112767

[Display omitted] •Multiple nanoemulsion encapsulates complex natural extracts with high efficiency.•The prototype freeze-dried, maintaining the stability of encapsulated compounds.•The antioxidant effect of polyphenols improves when they are nanoencapsulated.•The multiple nanoemulsion shows a high antibacterial effect against S.pyogenes.•The Innovative nanoemulsion allows intestinal absorption of polyphenols. Beehive derivatives, including honeybee pollen (HBP), have been extensively studied for their beneficial health properties and potential therapeutic use. Its high polyphenol content gives it excellent antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Today its use is limited due to poor organoleptic properties, low solubility, stability, and permeability under physiological conditions. A novel edible multiple W/O/W nanoemulsion (BP-MNE) to encapsulate the HBP extract was designed and optimized to overcome these limitations. The new BP-MNE has a small size (∼100 nm), a zeta potential greater than +30 mV, and efficiently encapsulated phenolic compounds (∼82%). BP-MNE stability was measured under simulated physiological conditions and storage conditions (4 months); in both cases, stability was promoted. The formulation's antioxidant and antibacterial (Streptococcus pyogenes) activity was analyzed, obtaining a higher effect than the non-encapsulated compounds in both cases. In vitro permeability was tested, observing a high permeability of the phenolic compounds when they are nanoencapsulated. With these results, we propose our BP-MNE as an innovative solution to encapsulate complex matrices, such as HBP extract, as a platform to develop functional foods.