Versatile Emulsion-Based Encapsulation System Production Processes: A Review

Encapsulation is defined as the entrapment of active agents within another substance, which can be either solid or liquid. These substances need to be protected in order to preserve their functional and physicochemical properties, to enhance their stability, and to extend their shelf-life. Among all the existing methodologies, emulsion-based techniques are selected to be investigated in this review. Emulsion-based techniques are versatile and adaptable to different applications and different substances. In fact, these methods use the emulsion structure to protect the compounds of interest. Emulsions can be used as standalone systems or as a template for the production of polymeric particles. This review provides a comprehensive overview of emulsion-based techniques, with a particular focus on production processes. The emulsions have been described in terms of classification, composition, and characterization. The main production processes are examined in detail, with the main advantages and disadvantages of each methodology highlighted to provide a comprehensive overview of the topic.