Preparation of solid lipid nanoparticles containing active compound by electrohydrodynamic spraying

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) processing and forming has been successfully used to encapsulate a range of active ingredients but its application in flavour enhancement has been very limited. In this study, an EHD method is used for the first time to prepare nanosized particles of solid lipids, i.e. stearic acid and ethylcellulose encapsulating maltol flavour. The weight ratio of stearic acid: ethylcellulose was kept at 5. Particles, which were spherical in shape and 10–100nm in diameter, were obtained with stable jetting with the applied voltage set to 13–15kV and using flow rates of 10 and 15μl/min. The maltol encapsulation efficiency and yield were 69.5% and 69%, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of maltol within the stearic acid–ethylcellulose matrix, without any chemical interaction between ingredients. •An electrohydrodynamic process has been used to prepare solid lipid nanoparticles.•Processing was optimised to obtain 10–100nm size particles.•Maltol flavour was successfully encapsulated in nanoparticles.•The yield and encapsulation efficiency of the process was ~70%.