Liposomal Encapsulation in Food Systems: A Review of Formulation, Processing, and Applications

Liposomal encapsulation is a crucial technique in food applications, offering protection and targeted delivery of bioactive compounds. This review focuses on the impact of thermodynamic factors on liposomal structures, specifically bilayers with large unilamellar vesicles and multilamellar vesicles. This study focuses on the chemical composition of liposomes, emphasizing the role of hydrophobic tails and sterols during phase transitions at various temperatures. This review also outlines the influence of liposome chemical composition and rheological characteristics, which determine encapsulation efficiency, mechanical stability, and potential functionality in various food matrices. The review highlights the use of conventional lipids to create stable liposomes via spray-drying and fluidized bed coating for encapsulating solid food particles. The chemical composition of liposomes, particularly the type of phospholipids and inclusion of stabilizers, significantly affects their mechanical and rheological properties. These properties, including viscosity and viscoelastic behavior, influence liposome stability during processing and storage. High rigidity, imparted by saturated lipids or cholesterol, enhances structural integrity, while flexible membranes facilitate better encapsulation of large molecules or fragile bioactives. Furthermore, this work has addressed the importance of enzyme encapsulation and freeze-drying techniques to preserve the enzyme activity in food processing, such as cheese production and fermentation. This study concludes by emphasizing the increasing demand for liposomal encapsulation in the food industry for preserving foods and delivering functional ingredients while also addressing key challenges and future research directions.