Monoglyceride self-assembly structures as delivery vehicles

Monoglyceride molecules spontaneously self-assemble into various liquid crystalline structures when present in an aqueous environment. The various phases can be used to achieve different functionalities, e.g. to protect molecules from chemical degradation, to solubilize drugs and nutrients, to control release of flavours and drugs or to increase the yield in Maillard reactions. We will review (1) the typical characteristics of monoglyceride self-assembly structures, (2) the most common characterisation techniques, (3) how introduction of guest molecules influences the self-assembly structures, (4) their use for drug delivery and (5) how commercial food grade monoglycerides obtained from sunflower oil can be applied to achieve unique delivery functionalities in food systems.