Chapter 2: Lipophilic Nutraceuticals

Nutraceuticals are considered as components originating from foods, which are publicized to have health promoting effects beyond normal nutritional function due to their specific molecular structures. Certain therapeutic claims still lack further validation using controlled human trials or other long-term efficacy tests, which needs further research. Lipophilic nutraceuticals, which have poor water solubility, instability, etc., reveal the challenges of encapsulating them into the food matrix with improved bioavailability. Several kinds of delivery systems with delicate design can achieve controlled release with improved burst and sustained release of the encapsulated bioactive components. This chapter focuses on the characteristics of lipophilic nutraceuticals and possible challenges in their delivery process, which may contribute to the understanding of the design principle of protective and effective delivery systems for chemically labile lipophilic nutraceuticals.