Nanotechnology Trends in the Food Industry: Recent Developments, Risks, and Regulation

Abstract

Research in nanotechnology has extremely high potential to benefit society through the food industry. Results indicate that the current focus of nanotechnology research for this sector is in five areas: (1) food processing, (2) packaging, (3) quality and safety, (4) nutraceuticals, and (5) functional foods. All of these have major implications for the food system and impact the economic outlook for this sector. Nanotechnology offers opportunities for research in food nanoscience and provides new chances for innovation with tremendous possibilities in bringing solutions for the food industry. Although much work has been done worldwide on the applications of nanofood technology, there is still limited understanding on the toxicological aspects of nanoparticles. A major issue for the safety of these materials is the increased bioavailability and modified biokinetics due to the different size. Some other factors, such as the food matrix and biochemical and metabolic factors may however also influence the behavior. The safety assessment must take into account the influence of the food matrix and modifications in the gastrointestinal tract of engineered nanoscale food ingredients (Szakal et al., 2014). Consumer acceptance has been shown to be higher for nanotechnology in the development of novel packaging with distinct benefits when integrated directly in food (Gupta et al., 2015). The application of nanomaterials needs to demonstrate the safety of new products for the consumer and for the environment (Amenta et al., 2015). Much more research is needed to develop nanofood technology into a fully functional branch of modern science.