EVALUATION OF OIL-IN-WATER NANOEMULSIONS AS A POTENTIAL SUPPLEMENT IN DAIRY PRODUCTION

The following work evaluated oil-in-water nanoemulsions as a unique method for supplementing ruminant diets with various edible oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. The assessment was based on three distinct and sequential analytical procedures: chromatographic analysis of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), size and stability investigation utilizing a high-resolution electron microscope, and Zetasizer apparatus. This research used eight kinds of oil obtained from reputable sources: sunflower oil, maize oil, soybean oil, linseed oil, fish oil, olive oil, cottonseed oil, and sesame seed oil. The oil-in-water nanoemulsions were created using a 750-Watt, 20 kHz, 25 mm sonotrode tipped SONICS VCX750 ultrasonic processor with a nominal power of 750 Watts. The nanoemulsion method had little effect on raw oils fatty acid profile composition since the profiles of crude and nanoemulsified oils were almost identical. In addition, samples that were sonicated at 40% amplitude for 20 minutes resulted in a large droplet size distribution and a higher stability potential regardless of the type of oil used. However, when samples were sonicated at 80% amplitude for 20 minutes, the size distribution and zeta potential were smaller than those with 40% amplitude. Additionally, the nanoemulsion production is severely affected by high sonication temperatures ( <70°C) and low surfactant levels; it was also found that storing edible oils nanoemulsion at room temperature for up to 15 days is acceptable. It was also clear that using Tween 80 to up to 11.2% of the emulsion did decrease the droplet size of the nanoemulsion; however, it did negatively affect the rumen fermentation, especially the acetate and propionate concentrations when compared to moderate Tween 80 level (5.6% of the emulsion). In conclusion, ultrasonication is ideal for producing nanoemulsions, mainly when the appropriate amplitude, surfactant level, and temperature are used, especially since nanoemulsion preparation had no appreciable effect on the FAME composition of the oil.