Nanoparticle formation of lycopene/β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex using supercritical antisolvent precipitation

With a view to promoting dispersion of lycopene in water, the precipitation of an inclusion complex of lycopene and β-cyclodextrin was investigated using the solution-enhanced dispersion by supercritical fluids (SEDS) process. The inclusion complex, which was prepared in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), was dissolved in the same solvent and then micronized by SEDS, using carbon dioxide (CO₂) as a supercritical antisolvent. The effects of the initial concentrations of lycopene and β-cyclodextrin, the CO₂ flow rate, the solution flow rate, and the pressure and temperature at which the process was conducted were examined. The morphologies of the resulting particles were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Small spherical particles were obtained at all operating conditions. At high pressure, high temperature, high CO₂ flow rate and low solution flow rate, particles with an average particle size of about 40 nm were obtained.