Fabrication of<i>Origanum compactum</i>essential oil nanoemulsions stabilized using Quillaja Saponin biosurfactant

There is an increased interest for essential oil nanoemulsions as natural food preservatives. We utilized sugar-based surfactants including Quillaja Saponin (QS), Sucrose Monopalmitate (SMP), and Octyl Modified Starch (OMS). The outcomes presented that nanoemulsions could be successfully formed. Whereas oregano emulsions stabilized by SMP exposed to salt and acidic pH were highly unstable, QS could form more stable colloidal systems. Oregano nanoemulsions containing a very low amount of sunflower oil (SO) were not susceptible to Ostwald ripening during 60 days of storage at 20 °C. The optimization of the production process through response surface methodology revealed that incorporation of only 6.9 wt % SO at a microfluidization pressure of 73.5 MPa was sufficient to form a long-term stable nanoemulsion with no changes in antibacterial activity. This work gives valuable and practical information to produce a natural antimicrobial agent potentially applicable in food and beverage, as well as cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. Practical applications Recently, there has been a great demand by not only food consumers but also manufacturers for products containing natural ingredients. In this study, a promising nanoemulsion delivery system for oregano as an essential oil model with long-term stability using a biosurfactant (Quillaja Saponin) was successfully produced by microfluidization. We optimized the formulation in terms of energy requirement and costs, which are important factors from an industry point of view. The fabricated colloidal dispersions have antimicrobial as well as flavoring and potential antioxidant applications in different products including food and beverages, as well as pharmaceutical and beauty products.

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