Development of edible nanoemulsions containing vitamin E using a low-energy method: Evaluation of particle size and physicochemical properties for food and beverage applications.

Pasta, a globally popular dish, serves as a complete meal around the world. This research aims to improve the nutritional value of pasta by enriching it with vitamin E. Firstly, vitamin E and sesame oil were mixed in different ratios (1:10, 1:5, 10:10) and dissolved in an aqueous medium at 50 °C with different concentrations of Tween 80 (10 %, 20 %, 30 %). Coarse emulsions were formed by gradual addition of the oil phase to the aqueous phase, followed by equilibration using an Ultratrax mixer at 15,000 rpm for 5 min. The target nanoemulsions were then produced using an ultrasonic system. After 30 days of storage, the most stable nanoemulsions containing 10 % Tween 80 and a 1:10 ratio of vitamin E to sesame oil showed minimal changes. In addition, nanoemulsions with 10 % Tween 80 and a 10:10 ratio of vitamin E to sesame oil showed less turbidity than those with 20 % and 30 % Tween 80. Evaluation of enriched pasta for physical, chemical and sensory properties compared to non-enriched samples showed no significant differences in properties such as pH, ash, total solids, texture and colour characteristics (P < 0.05). Enriched pasta samples showed an increase in moisture content of 0.94 % and a decrease in weight loss of 2.13 % compared to the control, with improved brightness (L) and yellowness (b) due to the addition of nanoemulsion. Sensory evaluation showed higher scores for pasta samples enriched with nanoemulsions containing vitamin E compared to control samples. This pioneering study introduces nanoemulsion technology to improve the nutritional profile of pasta by enriching it with vitamin E. The research demonstrates the successful formulation of stable nanoemulsions and their positive effects on pasta properties, suggesting promising avenues for improving public health through innovative pasta enrichment methods.