Concerning the applications in food technology, two recent
reviews about possibilities of nanotechnology [19•
,20] indicate
that there are potential applications of nano-emulsions, but no
specific applications are given. In Ref. [19•
], potential applications
for nanostructured materials in general are analyzed,
but regarding nano-emulsions, only a mention about their
potential application is made. In Ref. [20], a detailed review on
emulsification techniques is presented but the possible applications
that are indicated are not likely to have an important impact
in the future food technology. Finally, nano-emulsification of
carotene containing hexane is described in Ref. [21] although the
final application proposed after evaporation of hexane is a
dispersion of carotene, not a nano-emulsion.
In cosmetics, a generic paper [22•
] presents the possibilities
for improving stability through using different oils and oil
mixtures. Adequate stability is only achieved by using more
than 50% of such heavy oil as isocetyl isostearate. Cosmetic
properties of nano-emulsions are analyzed and favorable
conclusions are obtained. Other papers presenting studies for
nano-emulsion application on skin were also published [23–26].
Pharmacy is the field where more direct applications of
nano-emulsions are proposed. Many of them consist in selfemulsifying
systems, so the stability problem is solved by
using the nano-emulsions short after their preparation. Selfemulsifying
nano-emulsions for parenteral application [27] or
oral application [28–30] have been described.