Nanoemulsions‐Based Delivery Systems for Encapsulation of Quercetin: Preparation, Characterization, and Cytotoxicity Studies

In this study, quercetin loaded nanoemulsions (QT‐NE) were prepared using high pressure homogenization (HPH) method.The optimum QT‐NE exhibited an average droplet size of 152 ± 6 nm, zeta potential of −50 ± 2 mV and entrapment efficiency of 93.50 ± 0.35%. The selected QT‐NE had good physical and chemical stability. DPPH free radical scavenging assay showed comparable antioxidant activity of QT‐NE to free quercetin. The release behavior of quercetin in simulated gastrointestinal conditions was investigated and kinetically modeled. The in vitro digestion model demonstrated that the bioaccessibility of quercetin in simulated small intestinal conditions was improved by nanoencapsulation. MTT cell viability assay showed that QT‐NE did not have significant toxicity on HeLa cell line. In general, nanoemulsions‐based delivery systems can be developed to encapsulate quercetin for improved stability and bioavailability. Practical Applications Quercetin is widely found in the plant kingdom, and has been proved to exert numerous benefits in body. However, the applications of QT in functional fields are greatly limited due to its low solubility and chemical unstability. This study aimed at incorporating QT into lipid‐based delivery systems produced by high pressure homogenization (HPH) method for improved bioavailability and evaluating its potential application in functional food industries.