Malays. J. Anal. Sci. Volume 30 Number 2 (2026): 1747

Research Article

D-optimal mixture design optimization of an oil-in-water nanoemulsion of Pouteria campechiana pulp extract and its physicochemical and stability properties

Roswanira Abdul Wahab^1,2*, Nur Haziqah Che Marzuki^1,2, Mariani Abdul Hamid³, Norhayati Mohamed Noor⁴ and Ni Made Suaniti⁵

¹ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

² Investigative Forensic Sciences Research Group, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

³School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia ⁴ Cosmeceutical & Fragrance Unit, Institute of Bioproduct Development, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

⁵ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Udayana, Bali, Indonesia

*Corresponding author: roswanira@utm.my

Received: 14 October 2025; Revised: 1 March 2026; Accepted: 6 April 2026; Published: 30 April 2026

Abstract

The growing demand for cosmeceuticals is driven by rising awareness of the benefits of dermatologically active, natural ingredients and increasing concern over the toxicity of synthetic compounds. This study explores the untapped potential of Pouteria campechiana (Pc) fruit pulp as an active component in a nanoemulsion for topical application. Using the D-optimal mixture design (MD), formulation of the PC-based nanoemulsion was optimized for four components, namely, jojoba oil, grape seed oil, T80, and glycerol, to achieve minimal particle size and polydispersity index (PdI). The optimized formulation demonstrated excellent performance, with a particle size of 240.1 nm, PdI of 0.21, high model significance (p < 0.0001, R² > 0.97), and strong stability indicators: zeta potential of –33.6 mV, conductivity of 0.22 µS/cm, and no phase separation over 90 days of storage. Pertinently, the OPT-PcE-Ne demonstrated resilience in repeated ultracentrifugation and freeze-thaw tests, while maintaining a pH range suitable for topical skin application (4-6). No phase separation was observed in samples stored under varying temperatures for up to 90 days. Transmission electron microscope micrograph confirmed sub-250 nm droplet size, and Bingham plastic behavior further supports its topical cosmeceutical application. Hence, the optimized OPT-PcE-Ne formulation, utilizing Pc as a key active ingredient produced here, achieved optimal stability while possessing ideal characteristics for topical cosmeceutical uses. Additionally, the use of natural ingredients in the optimized OPT-PcE-Ne developed in this study presents a promising, safer alternative to synthetic skincare formulations.

Keywords: Pouteria campechiana, pulp extract, oil-in-water, D-optimal mixture design, nanoemulsion

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