Fabrication of vitamin D3 nanoemulsions stabilized by Tween 80 and Span 80 as a composite surface-active surfactant: Characterization and stability.

Poor water solubility is one of the main adverse factors for vitamin D 3 to be used as a fortifier in water-soluble food system. In this study, a phase transformation based nanoemulsion fabrication process was developed to encapsulate vitamin D 3 with Tween 80 and Span 80 as a composite surface-active surfactant (named as Vit D 3 NEs). The encapsulation efficiency of vitamin D 3 in resultant oil in water nanoemulsions reached 99.9%. The prepared Vit D 3 NEs was spherical with average particle size of 391.47 ± 12.89 nm, polydispersity index of 0.23–0.31, and endothermic temperature of 127.1 ℃. Results of FTIR indicated that hydrophobic, electrostatic and hydrogen bond interactions were involved in Vit D 3 NEs fabrication. Compared to un-encapsulated Vit D 3 (bare Vit D 3), Vit D 3 NEs displayed higher stability under gastric digestion, and sustained release under intestinal digestion. The cumulative release of Vit D 3 reached 69% after 5 h of intestinal digestion. Further, Vit D 3 NEs demonstrated stronger thermal stability than the bare Vit D 3 at 40–60 °C, and the first-order kinetics was well fit to describe its thermal degradation. Our work suggests a new insight into the application of Vit D 3 NEs stabilized by Tween 80 and Span 80 in food industry. [Display omitted] • Vitamin D 3 loaded nanoemulsions (Vit D 3 NEs) were stabilized by Tween 80 and Span 80. • Vit D 3 NEs had great encapsulation efficiency and increased endothermic temperature. • Vit D 3 NEs can resist gastric fluids and release sustained in intestinal digestion. • Vit D 3 NEs showed higher thermal stability at 40–60 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]