# Influence of Microfluidization Process and Oil Type on the Physicochemical Properties of Nanoemulsions and Their Films

## TL;DR

This study examines how microfluidization and oil type affect nanoemulsions and edible films made with alginate.

## Contribution

The study introduces a novel approach to optimizing edible film properties using different oils and microfluidization cycles.

## Key findings

- Testa oil nanoemulsions produced films with higher elongation and puncture force.
- Microfluidization cycles and oil type significantly influenced film structure and permeability.
- FTIR and SEM confirmed structural changes due to processing and oil type.

## Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of microfluidization cycles and oil type on the physicochemical characteristics of nanoemulsions and the properties of alginate-based edible films. Two types of oil (1%), coconut oil and coconut testa oil, were used for nanoemulsion preparation with Tween 80 and Span 20 (3:2). The emulsions were processed using different numbers of microfluidization cycles (0, 1, 2, and 3) and subsequently mixed with 2% sodium alginate in a 1:1 ratio to obtain film-forming solutions. The film-forming solution containing testa oil showed a particle size of 135.60 ± 37.87 nm, zeta potential of −22.14 ± 3.09 mV, whiteness index of 79.92 ± 2.20, and a creaming index of 0%. These systems produced flexible edible films with significantly (p < 0.05) higher elongation at break (1.35 ± 0.17%) and puncture force (2.40 ± 0.32 N), as well as lower water vapor permeability (4.7 × 10−7 ± 0.56 × 10−7 g m−1 h−1 Pa−1). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analyses indicated that both the number of microfluidization cycles and the type of oil significantly (p < 0.05) influenced the structural and physicochemical characteristics of the resulting edible films.