Developing three-component ginger-cinnamon-cardamom composite essential oil nanoemulsion as natural food preservatives.

Plant-based functional lipid ingredients, such as essential oils, with antioxidant and antibacterial activities, have gained substantial attention in food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical formulations due to the increasing disquiet about the risks of artificial preservatives. However, similar to other lipid-based bioactives, their application in water-based products is challenging owing to their low water solubility and high chemical instability, especially during exposure to light, heat, moisture, and oxygen. Hence, the incorporation of essential oils into water-dispersible nanoemulsion systems can effectively address these issues. Moreover, combining various essential oils can synergistically enhance their chemical and biological properties. Consequently, the objective of this study was to develop different composite nanoemulsion systems using ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom essential oils, which were considered individually and in binary and ternary combinations. Empirical models to predict the response characteristics based on the proportions of oil phase components were also derived. The numerical multi-goal optimisation analysis suggested that 10 % ginger, 68 % cinnamon, and 22 % cardamom essential oil is the ideal oil phase combination to achieve nanoemulsions with the smallest average particle size and size distribution and the highest zeta potential and antioxidant and antibacterial activity.