High-Pressure Homogenization (HPH)-Based Bioactive-Loaded Nanocarriers in the Food Industry: Principles, Applications, and Challenges.

The growing demand for functional foods has increased interest in advanced processing technologies that improve the stability, bioavailability, and controlled delivery of bioactive compounds (BCs). High-pressure homogenization (HPH) has emerged as a scalable and environmentally sustainable method for developing structured delivery systems within food matrices. In HPH, fluid dispersions are driven through a narrow homogenization valve at extremely high pressure, creating intense shear stress, turbulence, cavitation, and droplet-collision forces. These physico-mechanical processes significantly reduce the droplet size, redesign interfacial properties, and facilitate the formation of kinetically stable emulsions and nanodelivery systems for efficient encapsulation and protection of BCs. This review critically examines recent progress in HPH-assisted encapsulation technologies for food applications. It addresses the mechanisms underlying the formation and functional performance of nanoemulsions (NEs), solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNPs), and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) generated via HPH. The discussion focuses on structure-function relationships, physicochemical stability, encapsulation efficiency, and the integration of HPH with both thermal and nonthermal processing methods. HPH modifies biopolymer structures, improves interfacial properties, and facilitates the creation of stable nanoscale carriers with enhanced oxidative stability, controlled release profiles, and thermal protection for sensitive compounds. The combination of HPH with complementary processing techniques further influences structural transitions and functional outcomes. Although laboratory-scale results are promising, challenges persist regarding scalability, long-term stability, and industrial adoption. In summary, HPH-based encapsulation offers a robust platform for developing next-generation functional foods, fostering innovation in product design and value-added applications.