Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Recently, there have been great research efforts to fabricate nanometre-sized particles with user-tailored structural and surface properties, namely for applications in electronics, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. In food science and technology, the development and use of "nano-engineered" particles has been conspicuously absent. The present research aims to develop a new class of food emulsion stabilisers called 'Janus' particles. In his 1991 Nobel lecture, P.-G. De Gennes used the term 'Janus' to describe spherical particles where the surface of either hemisphere differed chemically, after the Roman God custodian of the universe of the same name who possessed two heads back-to-back. Envisioned uses of these particles include biosensors, displays, drug delivery, etc. The development and use of Janus particles for food applications has never been reported. The goal of this Discovery Grant is thus to create Janus nanostructures for food use, specifically the development of functionalised spherical Janus solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) 'nano-engineered' within microemulsions. To achieve this goal, oil-in-water microemulsions will be generated via controlled self-assembly, in effect creating the SLN 'nanoreactors'. SLNs will be developed using a novel technique based on controlled cooling and crystallisation of the microemulsion domains, resulting in spherical SLNs. The resulting particles will act as substrates and be functionalised with surface-active proteins. Drawing from theory and experiment, fundamental mechanistic models for optimised emulsion stabilisation with the 'decorated' SLNs will be devised. The fundamental hypothesis of the research is: "Can Janus SLNs be developed and used as food emulsion stabilisers?". Though ambitious, the proposed approach should fully address this question. Possible applications of Janus particles include the stabilisation of food colloids such as whipped toppings, tablespreads and dressings. Lastly, while the research is geared towards food applications, the basic premise, mechanisms and techniques elucidated will be applicable to diverse fields, thereby demonstrating its all-encompassing nature.