The progress and application of vitamin E encapsulation-A review

Abstract

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, discovered in 1922, that presents important physiological functions, including antioxidant, immunoregulatory, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotector capabilities. However, it is extremely sensitive to high temperatures, light, oxygen and alkaline conditions, which, together with its poor water solubility, can limit vitamin E applications. In this context, encapsulation emerges as a suitable option for the protection of vitamin E, allowing its future incorporation into functional products for the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry. This procedure that, in addition to the protection of vitamin E, also allows its controlled delivery, can be performed by different techniques and using different materials, which should be selected according to the delivery system's final purpose. The therapeutic properties of vitamin E have caught the attention of the scientific community in the last decades, with several research works being developed. However, there are still several fields to be explored, which will allow the wider use of vitamin E and the development of new functional products.