Flow reactor for preparation of lipid nanoparticles via temperature variations

Lipid nanoemulsions and nanosuspensions are used as flavor carriers bubble stabilizers in soft drinks foods, well delivery vehicles for lipophilic drugs pharmaceutics. Common techniques their formation the high-pressure ultrasonic homogenizers. These dissipate most of input energy, which results excessive heating generation free radicals that might modify sensitive ingredients. Low energy methods also some applications, but they have specific limitations restricting universal use. In current study, we propose an alternative approach - a flow reactor with variable temperature, utilizes lipids' polymorphic transitions to induce spontaneous fragmentation lipid microparticles into nanoparticles. The allows us obtain emulsions or suspensions particle diameters tunable between 20 800 nm when appropriate surfactants, temperature profiles, rates applied. is comparable homogenizer at ca. 500 bars higher, without creating emulsion overheating cavitation typical conventional methods. can be scaled up industrial applications using simple scaling rules.