Publication: QUALITY BY DESIGN APPROACH TO OPTIMISE SPRAY DRYING PROCESS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NANOTOCOTRIENOL DRY POWDER
Date
2026
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Publisher
IMU University
Abstract
Tocotrienols (T3), a subfamily of vitamin E, are gaining recognition for their potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. However, their use in functional foods and medicinal products faces challenges such as low water solubility, instability under environmental conditions, and susceptibility to oxidative degradation. This study aims to address these challenges by using spray drying as an encapsulation technique to convert liquid nano emulsions of T3 into stable, dry powders. The process is guided by the Quality by Design (QbD) methodology, which optimises the spray drying parameters and the selection of wall materials to enhance the stability of nano-T3 powders. The results indicate that the combination of sodium caseinate and fibersol as wall materials effectively encapsulated T3, preserving its chemical integrity during processing. The optimised spray drying conditions produced nano-sized particles with ideal characteristics such as excellent flowability (10.71 ± 1.12%), wettability (93.07 ± 6.01%), low moisture content (1.79 ± 0.02%), particle size (100.42 ± 48.05 nm) and Vitamin E content (579.00 ± 233.39 mg/g). However, stability testing revealed that while the nano-T3 powder retained its chemical stability, moisture absorption over time led to particle aggregation and a decrease in T3 content. This indicates a need for further optimisation to improve moisture resistance and long-term stability. The study highlights the significant impact of wall materials and spray-drying parameters on the properties of nano-T3 powders and provides valuable insights into enhancing their stability and efficacy. Future research should focus on refining the encapsulation matrix and exploring the incorporation of antioxidants to mitigate degradation, thereby improving the stability and functional applications of nano-T3 in pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and functional foods. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the potential of spray-dried nano-T3 as a stable, bioactive ingredient for diverse applications, with room for improvement in moisture resistance to enhance long-term stability.
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Keywords
Quality Control, Spray Drying, Tocopherols, Nanoparticles, Drug Design, Pharmaceutical Preparations