BEE International Blog

Nanoemulsification is the process by which a nanoemulsion is created. And a nanoemulsion is the combination of two immiscible liquids (such as water and oil) with particles less than 500 nm in diameter. Nanoemulsification equipment, then, is any tool that can be used to effectively create nanoemulsions. There aren’t very many of them, and some work better than others. For specialty jobs in a highly aggressive market, like cannabis-infused beverages, the nanoemulsification equipment that yields the absolute smallest-sized particles enables cannabinoid product manufacturers to gain valuable market share, offering cannabinoid drinks that deliver a faster, more potent effect than those of their competitors. Take a look at the reasons nanoemulsification equipment is needed — and why high pressure homogenizers are the best option — for cannabis beverage processing:

Nanoemulsification Equipment is the Only Way to Ensure Maximum Bioavailability and Efficiency in Cannabis Beverages

THC and CBD are two types of chemical compounds commonly found in cannabis products. Respectively, they are known for their euphoric or sedative effects, but only when absorbed by the body in some way. However, as fat-soluble molecules, neither THC nor CBD is easily nor quickly digestible if simply ingested in their natural state. Instead, the body has to move the cannabinoids through the digestion system, using bile and various enzymes along the way to break them into tiny particles that can then be more readily absorbed. In this way, the body itself basically has to create a nanoemulsion in order to allow the oil-based molecules in cannabinoids to be absorbed into the body.  It works…but it’s slow, delaying the body’s reaction to the various cannabinoid compounds, as well as never consistently guaranteeing the same type of effects. 

Using nanoemulsification during processing (i.e., before ingestion) solves the problem. By breaking down the cannabinoid oils with nanoemulsion equipment before they are imbibed, cannabis product manufacturers are able to mix teeny, tiny cannabinoid particles into a stable liquid phase (meaning they don’t settle to the bottom of the bottle). Fully and evenly dispersing the cannabinoids into a beverage ensures that the body immediately absorbs it, providing a more consistent product that always looks and works the same.

The BEE International Advantage

Our high pressure homogenizers here at BEE International are the only type of nanoemulsification equipment that can consistently create the tightest distribution of smallest-sized particles. Unlike other nanoemulsification equipment (such as sonicators and microfluidizers) that only utilize one type of mechanical force, BEE International high pressure homogenizers make use of a proprietary and patented Emulsifying Cell (EC) technology which combines multiple types of forces (shear, cavitation and impact) to more effectively break apart and mix the particles in a substance. Furthermore, our HPHs can be customized according to the job at hand. When making cannabis-infused beverages, for instance, manufacturers can adjust the combination of forces, as well as the intensity and duration of their application, so that cannabinoids are rendered to their smallest possible size in less passes. Please contact us to learn more.

You might also like to download our free eBook, “3 Reasons Why High Pressure Homogenization Improves Cannabis Products,” here.

Cannabinoids, chemical compounds found in the cannabis plant, are naturally fat soluble, meaning they are dissolvable only in nonpolar solvents and, thus, not capable of mixing with water. It’s a major problem that often makes the manufacture of cannabis-based beverages difficult since cannabinoids can’t be broken down and mixed with other ingredients naturally for any sustained amount of time. Cannabis-based beverage products, for instance, work faster, taste better and last longer only when they are able to be mixed properly with — read: dissolved completely within — other ingredients. Leaving cannabinoids in their original oily state, then, makes it impossible to guarantee the bioavailability, stability or longevity of cannabis beverages. Luckily, manufacturers have options. Here’s how you can create water soluble cannabinoids for beverages and, therefore, always ensure that your cannabis drinks are of the highest quality:

What are Water Soluble Cannabinoids for Beverages?

Technically, there are no “true” water soluble cannabinoids. What we actually mean when we use the term “water soluble cannabinoids for beverages” is really just “cannabinoids that have been reduced to the smallest-sized particles so that they can be thoroughly mixed with a liquid substance.” With this in mind, the trick becomes finding a way to break down cannabinoids into such small pieces that they can be used to manufacture cannabis beverages with maximized flavor and potency.

Using Emulsions to Create Water Soluble Cannabinoids for Beverages

As mentioned, if cannabinoids are left in their natural state, cannabis-infused drinks would need to be shaken and then immediately consumed. It’s not unlike an oil-based salad dressing that has to be shaken before used. This is never ideal, however, since shaking a product can actually degrade it: carbonated drinks lose their bubbles, for example, or ingredients get unevenly distributed, making the drink taste funny, look cloudy and/or rendering it unable to provide a consistent dose of active ingredient(s). Furthermore, because the cannabinoids are still basically fat molecules which have been only temporarily suspended in a liquid, the body must still process them through the digestive system, a much longer process compared to that of water soluble cannabinoids dissolving directly into mouth, stomach and intestinal tissues. 

To solve the problem, manufacturers need to create water soluble cannabinoids via emulsification. Emulsification is the process by which normally immiscible substances are mixed together so that separation can’t occur. There are several different types of equipment that can facilitate emulsification, but the most effective and efficient one is a BEE International high pressure homogenizer. BEE stands for Best Emulsifying Equipment.  Our high pressure homogenizers create stable emulsions that guarantee water soluble cannabinoids for beverages each and every processing run.

The BEE International Advantage

Most emulsifying processing equipment utilizes only one or two forces to physically break apart and mix samples. BEE International high pressure homogenizers, however, utilize a combination of forces, including turbulence, shear, cavitation, impact and high pressure, that more forcibly reduces a sample’s particle size, creating larger surface areas to which bonding can occur. The result: shelf stable mixtures with increased potency and bioavailability. In addition, our patented mixing technology eliminates the need for pre-mixing and includes customizable options for the combination of forces, as well as the intensity and duration of operation, allowing manufacturers to manage the production of water soluble cannabinoids for beverages in the fewest amount of passes, saving them time and money.

To learn more about using BEE International homogenizers to create water soluble cannabinoids for beverages, please contact our team today.

You might also wish to download our free eBook, “3 Reasons Why High Pressure Homogenization Improves Cannabis Products” for additional information.

Approximately 50% - 90% of existing and potential new drugs are poorly soluble. It’s a statistic with dramatic implications, since poor solubility inhibits the absorption of a drug’s active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), which renders less beneficial effects for the patients who wish to use them and less profitable results for the companies that try to sell them. Recent advancements in pharmaceutical development processes, however, indicate that using high pressure homogenizers for nanomilling dramatically improves the bioavailability of active drug ingredients, thus benefiting individuals and drug companies alike. Take a look:

What is Nanomilling for Bioavailability?

Drugs work better when they have a large surface area available for solvation. Think about a sugar cube dissolving in a cup of tea: a crushed cube will diffuse throughout the cup quicker than a lump. In much the same way, a drug whose active particles have been reduced to their smallest uniform size will disperse throughout the body better than a drug with larger particles.   

Nanomilling, then, is the process by which an API is reduced to particles less than 1000 nm in size. It’s also called wet media milling, and can be effectuated via several different techniques, but we believe high pressure homogenizers (HPHs) offer the most advantages when nanomillling for bioavailability. Here’s why:

High Pressure Homogenizers Minimize Contamination

High pressure homogenizers apply constant pressure to a product to break it into uniformly-size pieces. Other types of particle size reducers (such as bead mills, for example) use an actual grinding material (i.e., beads) to the facilitate particle reduction, agitating this material along with the product so that the product itself breaks apart. We believe HPHs, particularly those with BEE International’s propreitary pressurized pumping system, are far superior to bead mills and other wet media milling technologies specifically because they don’t introduce any foreign materials into the particle reduction process — just high pressure and the active pharmaceutical ingredient —  thus, posing little to no risk for contamination.

High Pressure Homogenizers are Faster

High pressure homogenizers supply a very intense and focused energy that enables quicker particle reduction than other processing methods. They are also highly efficient, enabling optimal particle size in the fewest passes, saving valuable production time and getting drugs — that actually work! — more quickly into the hands of the patients who need them!

High Pressure Homogenizers Allow for Targeted Particle Reduction

Because BEE International’s HPHs utilize a modular system that combines pressure, shear, cavitation and impact, many different configurations can be set up, each according to the specification of the product at hand. This means operators can customize their processes so that the exact particle size needed is produced during each run.

High Pressure Homogenizers Are Consistent and Versatile

The unique combination of forces used in BEE International high pressure homogenizers produces a tighter, more uniform distribution of particles and can be used for both inline and batch processing.

High Pressure Homogenizers Yield Scalable Results

The most beneficial type of processing equipment allows operators the ability to progress from the laboratory to production with no loss of reliability or efficacy. High pressure homogenizers allow customization of the particle size reduction process according to product volume so that the chemical integrity of active ingredient(s) is always the same.

High Pressure Homogenizers Are Easy to Clean

Finally, unlike bead mills and other types of homogenizers, high pressure homogenizers do not require manual cleaning. Inline cleaning processes permit routine (and nearly) hands-free maintenance that is not available with other nanomilling options.

Want to Learn More?

Utilizing high pressure homogenizers for nanomilling for bioavailability enhancement allows companies to produce more effective drugs and people the opportunity to take them. To learn more about what makes BEE International high pressure homogenizers the superior choice when nanomilling for bioavailability enhancement, please contact our team today.

You might also wish to download our free eBook, “Advantages of BEE Homogenizers for the Pharmaceutical Industry,” for additional information.

The food and beverage industry continues to expand and diversify, especially as consumers look for more healthful products that fit both their lifestyle and budget. Companies must find ways to create and market products to differentiate them from their many competitors while ensuring their goods have the taste, freshness and nutrients on which customers have come to rely.

A common method food processing and manufacturing companies utilize to efficiently, cost-effectively and safely produce their goods is high-pressure homogenization. It not only reduces particle size through forces including high pressure, shear, turbulence, acceleration and impact but also allows for the stable and consistent production of emulsions, suspensions and other commodities that necessitate a liquid suspended in another liquid.

Though one of the most well-known uses of homogenization in the food and beverage industry is for milk, it is also widely used in the manufacture of sauces, spreads, salad dressings, fruit juices and concentrates, fish and meat paté, sweeteners, baby food, egg product, other dairy products and more. The homogenization pressures used for these products typically range between 20 and 60 MPa, but some homogenizers can reach pressures of up to 400 MPa. This magnitude of pressure leads to microbial and enzyme inactivation, which enhances the safety and shelf life of perishable foods while reducing the thermal effects on the foods’ functional and sensory qualities.

Once a company achieves its ideal product, the product needs to be reproduced on a larger scale without losing the characteristics that make it desirable by customers. If it doesn’t offer the same taste and texture on a regular basis, the manufacturer may not only lose customers and their funds but also obtain a damaged reputation.

Food homogenizers help deliver a product with uniform texture, flavoring and taste through a scalable and cost-effective process that allows for a longer period of freshness than food comprised of larger particles. The smaller the particles, the longer the structure of the product can be maintained. Food homogenizers’ ability to use pressure instead of heat preserves critical nutritional components naturally found in a food, enabling them to be available for consumption.

Although high-pressure homogenization may potentially replace thermal methods of food preparation, it does not effectively produce solid foods or ones formed from large particles. Also, because it uses force instead of thermal action, homogenization does not sterilize foods or beverages, requiring it to be accomplished through a separate process.

BEE International: Help in Finding the Best Food Homogenizer

The key to purchasing the right food homogenizer for your business needs is selecting one that can achieve consistent particle size distribution on a scalable basis. At BEE International, our equipment can engineer particle sizes at or below 100 nm, a benefit favorable for most any product in the food and beverage industry. Our products are trusted by researchers and laboratory managers around the world, and our unparalleled customer service will make finding the right product a breeze for companies of all sizes.

Contact us today to find out more about how BEE International can aid your particle size reduction process. 

For more information on the key factors to consider when choosing a cell lysis method, download our FREE eBook:

Homogenization, also known as micronization or more simply, particle size reduction, is an important process step that is executed in a number of industries: pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and biotech. But did you know that this powerful technique is also used in the beverage industry? It’s true. Manufacturers in this industry utilize the process of homogenization to ensure their end products meet standards for visual appearance, texture, and taste. But what are the steps to ensure that this happens? What things need to be kept in mind? And how can homogenization equipment help? Continue reading to find out the answers to all of those questions and more.

In order to achieve ideal results in terms of drinkability, viscosity, clarity, transparency, and shelf life, manufacturers in the beverage industry need to create stable emulsions – or mixtures – of products. While performing this task, it is important that certain liquids – oil and water, for instance – naturally do not want to mix; their tendency is to immediately separate. However, this seemingly impossible task is, in fact, achievable through three process steps: the preparation of the oil and water phases, pre-homogenization, and homogenization.

Preparing the Oil and Water Phases

In order to prepare the oil and water phases, certain key steps must be completed. In the case of the water phase, the correct amounts of preservative, citric acid, and coloring must first be added and dissolved. Preparing the oil phase involves adding and ensuring dissolution of the weight agent to the oil.

Pre-homogenization

During the pre-homogenization step, the water and oil are mixed together to create the aptly named premix solution. This solution contains small droplets of oil. It is important that the premix contains the smallest possible particles of oil and water in order to ensure the highest quality emulsion is created.

Homogenization

Finally, the premix created during the pre-homogenization step is run through the valves of the homogenization equipment. The forces of turbulence, cavitation, pressure, and shear ensure that the oil droplets are broken down even further into the smallest particles possible.

BEE International: Homogenizers for the Beverage Industry

At BEE International, we offer a number of homogenizers that can fit the needs of the beverage industry. We understand the unique needs and desires of this industry, and our equipment reflects that – our machines use the multiple forces that are needed – turbulence, cavitation, pressure, and shear – to create the highest quality emulsions and dispersions for your industry’s applications.

To learn more about BEE International and how we can assist your industry with its unique needs, please contact us today.

For more information on particle size reduction and how to achieve efficient and consistent results, download our FREE eBook:

Homogenization, also known as micronization or, more simply, particle size reduction, is a process that is growing in popularity in a number of manufacturing industries, including cosmetic, chemical, biotech, and pharmaceutical. However, few people realize that the process of homogenization is utilized in another industry, one that affects virtually all of us – food! The use of homogenization equipment in the food industry offers a number of benefits, both to the industry itself, and to the customers, who receive the end results of the industry. Continue reading to learn more about the many benefits that homogenizers bring to the important (and ever growing!) food industry.

1. Extension of Shelf Life

One little known benefit that homogenization offers is an improved shelf life.  The process of reducing particle sizes requires the use of intense pressure, among other forces. This pressure that is exerted on food products often results in the creation of more stable chemical structures. This results in increased freshness, as well as a longer shelf life of the end product.

2. Improved Quality of Food

The process of homogenization also results in a higher quality of food. The reduction of particle size of products results in an end product that has improved taste, texture, appearance, and overall quality over its non-homogenized counterparts.

3. Food Preservation 

Related to the extension of shelf life benefit that homogenization brings is the benefit of food preservation. While heat treatment – another method of preserving food – is effective in killing harmful bacteria and microorganisms, heat can also kill helpful microorganisms, vitamins, and nutrients. Homogenization, on the other hand, uses pressure to accomplish the same task as its more destructive counterpart. This results in food that is preserved and healthy. A win-win!

BEE International Homogenizers

Homogenization offers many benefits to those in the food industry, as we now know. When searching for the right homogenizer for the job, make BEE International your first stop. We offer homogenizers for virtually every environment and application, including laboratory use, research and development applications, and, of course – pilot plant and industrial operations.  In addition, our homogenizers offer some of the following benefits:

• Constant pressure with electronic synchronization
• Unique CIP (Clean in Place) positioning for thorough cleaning
• Numerous cylinder sizes available to match specific pressure, flow capacity, and product characteristics requirements

To learn more about the homogenizers offered at BEE International, as well as how we can help with the homogenization process in your industry, please contact us today.

For more information on particle size reduction and how to get efficient and consistent results, download our FREE eBook:

Homogenization, also known as micronization or particle size reduction, is heavily utilized in a number of industries, including (but not limited to): cosmetic, drug, pharmaceutical, biotech, and food. The process of homogenization offers many benefits to finished goods produced in virtually every industry. Continue reading to learn more about the benefits that high pressure homogenization offers as it relates to food production.

Pathogen Elimination

One of the notable benefits of high pressure homogenization is the elimination of harmful bacteria from food products. High pressure homogenization is becoming an increasingly popular way of eliminating pathogens from food without interfering with taste or quality.  The high pressure of homogenization, along with eliminating bacteria, also works to preserve the food.

Extension of Shelf Life

Another benefit of high pressure homogenization in the food industry is an extended shelf life of food products. The high pressure of homogenization results in improved chemical stability of foods, which allows them to stay fresh for longer, especially with foods comprised of small particles.

Improved Taste, Consistency, and Appearance

Perhaps one of the most important benefits, at least as it relates to consumers, has to do with the improved taste, consistency, and appearance of food that is processed using high pressure homogenization. Juice, milk, and other beverages have shown marked improvements in consistency and viscosity due to high pressure homogenization, which acts to suspend particles during processing.

BEE International offers a number of high quality high pressure homogenizers to meet the needs of virtually every industry. We offer homogenization equipment for laboratory use, pilot plant applications, and full scale industrial manufacturing.

Our homogenizers offer the following benefits and features:

• CE and cGMP compliant
• Pharma/Bio/Food sanitary
• Synchronized pump system for constant pressure
• Password operated protection
• Menu guided maintenance and calibration
• Patented emulsifying cell
• Guaranteed scalability of results

To learn more about BEE International and how we can aid your homogenization process in the food industry, please contact us today. Our free eBook, “7 Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Cell Lysis Method” can be downloaded here:

Equipment frequently used in dairy processing includes homogenizers, pasteurizers, separators, evaporators and dryers, membrane filtration equipment, churning machines, crystallizers, cheese vats and more. This equipment has been used for decades in the production of traditional dairy products like milk, cheese and yoghurt.

In recent years, however, the demand for dairy processing equipment has risen substantially. Market research predicts that the global dairy processing equipment market is projected to reach $10.90 billion USD by 2020, growing at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 5.4% from 2015 to 2020.

Reasons for this booming market include:

1. Globalization and the growing demand for dairy products
2. Increased and more sophisticated dairy production
3. Heightened health and weight consciousness among consumers, leading to an increased demand for processed dairy products like skim milk and low fat yoghurts
4. Rising demand for functional foods, infant nutritional products, nutraceuticals and sports nutrition products – which are often fortified with milk powders and whey protein concentrates

Homogenizers in Dairy Processing

A homogenizer is an indispensable piece of dairy processing equipment. Homogenizers break down the fat molecules in milk so that they remain suspended and resist separation. Once a dairy processing facility has separated the raw milk into skim milk and cream, they then use a homogenizer to recombine these to make various milk products with specific fat contents.

Homogenization also improves the viscosity, taste and mouthfeel of various other dairy products like milk-based beverages, cream cheese, mayonnaise, ice cream, cream products and dessert toppings.

Homogenizers: Not Just for Dairy

Homogenizers are prevalent throughout the food industry and are commonly used whenever and wherever a stable emulsion or dispersion is required. Non-dairy applications include the production of salad dressings, sauces, soups, fruit juices and candy products.

BEE International understands the stringent regulatory requirements associated with food processing. Our high pressure homogenizers are designed for sanitary applications and our modular technology supports a wide variety of process configurations, including a high pressure pasteurization option. We also offer options such as automated control, data gathering, SCADA and validation documentation.

Our in-line mixing technology ensures that your entire batch of product receives the same level of processing. BEE International high pressure homogenizers boast 100% scalable technology; so results developed in your laboratory will always scale up to manufacturing.

Click here to learn more about how our high pressure homogenizers can benefit your food and dairy products, or contact us today!

For more applications of the homogenizer and cell lysis methods, download our FREE eBook: 

An emulsion is a mixture of two immiscible liquids (like oil and water), where small droplets of one liquid are dispersed throughout the second liquid. Emulsions can be classified as follows:

1. Oil in water emulsion – where oil droplets are dispersed in the water phase e.g. homogenized milk or a “creamy” style salad dressing.
2. Water in oil emulsion – where water droplets are dispersed in an oil phase e.g. margarine.

Let’s Start with Milk

The purpose of homogenization in milk is to break down the fat molecules so that they remain suspended throughout the milk and resist separation. Without homogenization, fat molecules will rise to the top and form a layer of cream, with the watery liquid or skim milk at the bottom.

Homogenization of commercial milk is widespread and expected by consumers in the USA. So much so, that the federal classification of milk IS homogenized milk, and the law does not require homogenized milk to be labelled as such. Homogenization is a purely mechanical process and doesn’t involve any additives.

A dairy processing facility will typically separate the milk into skim milk and cream. They then go on to recombine (homogenize) these to make products of the desired fat content, like whole milk (3.5% fat), reduced-fat milk (1% or 2% fat), and skim milk (0% fat). Yogurt, cheeses, and ice creams of varying fat content are made the same way, by recombining the components.

Homogenized Food Products

Homogenization is widely used throughout the food industry. It is common in the manufacture of any milk-based products to prevent a cream line or sedimentation, e.g. in chocolate milk or iced coffee drinks. Homogenization is used to improve the viscosity, taste and texture of cream or juice-based drinks, to improve the mouthfeel of soy beverages, and to prevent the separation of the whey in yoghurt. Some cheeses are produced using homogenized milk, especially when manufacturers want to control the fat content, texture and color.

Many other food products benefit from homogenization:

• cream cheese
• mayonnaise
• ice cream, cream products and dessert toppings
• salad dressings
• flavor emulsions for beverages, yoghurts, candy and countless other products
• beverages
• soups
• sauces

DeBEE Homogenizers: High Pressure Homogenizers for the Food Industry

At BEE International, we understand food processing. Our equipment is designed for sanitary applications, and our unique, modular technology supports a wide variety of process configurations including a high pressure pasteurization option. Stringent FDA requirements are met with options such as automated control, in-line process design, data gathering, SCADA and validation documentation.

Click here to learn more about how our high pressure homogenizers can benefit your food products, or contact us today!

For more information about homogenization and how to achieve efficient and consistent particle size reduction, download our FREE eBook:

In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the fundamental physical need is physiological. Metabolic requirements, air, and water supplement the internal functioning, while clothing and shelter fulfill the necessary external protection from the elements. And although humans can make the clothing and shelter, food is the only internal requirement that can be artificially produced. Homogenization is increasingly used as a method of food production because of its various advantages over other methods. Keep reading to learn about some of the higher-impact advantages of homogenization and how your food production process can benefit.

Improves Food Processing Outcomes

A consumer’s decision to purchase one food brand over another is largely based on its consistency, taste, and appearance. The processing method that dictates these factors should, therefore, be carefully considered, with homogenization being most common. In 2013, tomato juice was shown to have improved consistency and viscosity because of high pressure homogenization, which suspended particles during processing. (1) The simple ability to improve food processing outcomes can really elevate a product above competitors to increased company sales.

Highly Effective as a Food Preservation Method

Like with food outcomes, high pressure homogenizers are also incredibly effective as a food preservation method. In fact, the method continues to increase in popularity over traditional heat treatment for its high level of function. The reason for this is that although both high pressure and heat can kill harmful microorganisms, heat exposure kills some of the food’s naturally-occurring nutrients- while high pressure homogenization leaves them untouched and ready for consumption.

Extends Shelf Life

Related to food preservation in terms of chemical stability is shelf life, or the ability of a food to stay fresh before consumption. The intensive pressure applied by a high pressure homogenizer causes most foods to attain more stable chemical structures; this allows for a longer period of freshness than would otherwise be possible, especially compared with foods comprised of larger particles.

BEE International: High Quality Particle Size Reduction Equipment

A food’s ability to have its intended effect can be attributed to a wide variety of factors, in particular the size of its particles and consistency in particle size. Every food manufacturer should therefore consider each as food production processes are established. The first step in synthesizing a food product with high bioavailability is purchasing equipment that will achieve consistent particle size distribution. One such example is the high pressure homogenizer by BEE International Technology. Their products are trusted by researchers and lab managers around the world for key benefits, such as production of nano/micro emulsions, dispersions, and suspensions; importantly, this equipment can achieve consistent particle sizes at or below 100 nm, a key benefit for any product coming from the food industry.

Learn more about how BEE International can aid your particle size reduction process by contacting us today. 

For more information on cell lysis methods and how to choose the right one, download our FREE eBook: