Physicochemical and Emulsifying Properties of Self‐Nanoemulsified Red Palm Oil

Red palm oil (RPO) is a rich source of bioactive compounds with recognized antioxidant and health‐promoting properties. However, its incorporation into aqueous food systems is limited by its hydrophobic nature. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different surfactants (tween 80, sodium stearoyl lactylate/SSL, and de‐oiled lecithin) and co‐surfactants (glycerol and sorbitol) on the characteristics of self‐nanoemulsified RPO. The results showed that RPO fatty acid profile has a balance of saturated (50.90% ± 2.91%) and unsaturated (49.10% ± 2.31%) fatty acids, dominated by palmitic (37.02% ± 2.13%) and oleic (38.15% ± 1.74%) acids. The surfactant and co‐surfactant types significantly affected the nanoemulsion properties ( α < 0.05). The particle size had a range of 200–700 nm, with tween 80 producing the smallest size (245.73–247.36 nm) and lowest PDI (polydispersity index), indicating superior nanoemulsion formation. Glycerol as co‐surfactant exhibits better performance than sorbitol in producing smaller particle size, lower PDI, and higher PDI. SSL generated the highest negative zeta potential (−36.40 mV), suggesting enhanced electrostatic stability. De‐oiled lecithin exhibited the highest emulsifying activity and oxidative protection, reflected by the lowest peroxide and totox values. The tween 80‐sorbitol formulation retained the highest β ‐carotene content (212.98 ppm), while de‐oiled lecithin and tween 80 formulations showed greater phytosterols retention than SSL. The highest vitamin E level was found in the tween 80‐sorbitol nanoemulsion system (243.54 ± 0.37 ppm). These findings demonstrate that surfactant–co‐surfactant selection critically influences nanoemulsion performance and bioactive compound preservation, highlighting tween 80 and de‐oiled lecithin as promising emulsifiers for the development of functional RPO‐based nanoemulsion delivery systems.