Prospects of using nanotechnology for food preservation, safety, and security

Vivek K. Bajpai ^a, Madhu Kamle ^b, Shruti Shukla ^a, Dipendra Kumar Mahato ^c, Pranjal Chandra ^d, Seung Kyu Hwang ^e, Pradeep Kumar ^b,*, Yun Suk Huh ^e,**, Young-Kyu Han ^a,***

^a Department of Energy and Materials Engineering, Dongguk University-Seoul, 30 Pildong-ro 1-gil, Seoul, 04620, South Korea

^b Department of Forestry, North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology, Nirjuli, 791109, Arunachal Pradesh, India

^c Department of Agriculture and Food Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India

^d Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India

^e Department of Biological Engineering, Biohybrid Systems Research Center (BSRC), Inha University, 100 Inha-ro, Nam-gu, Incheon, 22212, South Korea

The rapid development of nanotechnology has transformed many domains of food science, especially those that involve the processing, packaging, storage, transportation, functionality, and other safety aspects of food. A wide range of nanostructured materials (NSMs), from inorganic metal, metal oxides, and their nanocomposites to nano-organic materials with bioactive agents, has been applied to the food industry. Despite the huge benefits nanotechnology has to offer, there are emerging concerns regarding the use of nanotechnology, as the accumulation of NSMs in human bodies and in the environment can cause several health and safety hazards. Therefore, safety and health concerns as well as regulatory policies must be considered while manufacturing, processing, intelligently and actively packaging, and consuming nano-processed food products. This review aims to provide a basic understanding regarding the applications of nanotechnology in the food packaging and processing industries and to identify the future prospects and potential risks associated with the use of NSMs.

Keywords: Nanostructured materials (NSMs), Food safety, Food preservation, Functional food, Packaging Human health