Resveratrol encapsulation: Designing delivery systems to overcome solubility, stability and bioavailability issues

• Resveratrol is a polyphenol that exhibits beneficial health effects.
• Instability, hydrophobicity and low bioavailability limit resveratrol use.
• Encapsulation can be used to overcome these limitations to resveratrol use.
• Combinations of encapsulation techniques could have synergetic effects.

Resveratrol is a polyphenol from the stilbens family that has been reported to have various benefits for human health, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, anti-obesity, and heart/brain protective effects. However, the utilization of resveratrol as a nutraceutical in the food industry is currently limited due to its poor water solubility, high chemical instability, and low oral bioavailability. Encapsulation of resveratrol can be used to improve its water-dispersibility, chemical stability, and bioavailability. This paper reviews delivery systems available to encapsulate, protect and release resveratrol, and highlights their potential applications within the food industry.