One limitation of using emulsions or nanoemulsions as delivery systems is they have limited scope for controlling the chemical stability of encapsulated carotenoids. This is because only a thin layer of emulsifier molecules coats the lipid droplets, and so any carotenoids located near the droplet surfaces are prone to chemical degradation promoted by hydrophilic components in the aqueous phase (such as acids, transition metals, or enzymes). In particular, carotenoids have a conjugated polyunsaturated hydrocarbon chain, which makes them highly prone to degradation due to autoxidation promoted by light, heat, singlet oxygen, transition metals, free radicals and highly acidic conditions (Qian et al., 2012a). This problem could be overcome by trapping the carotenoid-loaded lipid droplets inside hydrogel beads (“microgels”). The hydrogel matrix surrounding the carotenoids could then be designed to provide a local environment that protects them from degradation.