32 - Nanoparticle-based methods for food safety evaluation

Abstract

Food quality and safety is of great concern to governments, the food industry, and, especially, consumers. Thus, nanotechnology has been employed, instead of traditional methods, to develop advanced detection and packaging techniques to provide rapid, nondestructive food quality and safety evaluation and analysis for the industry. Recent developments and innovations in nanotechnology have transformed multiple scientific and industrial areas including food, medicine, pharmacy, and materials fields. Especially in the food field, nanomaterials, ranging from inorganic metal and metal oxides to organic nanomaterials that carry bioactive ingredients, can be applied in various fields including food processing, food packaging, functional food development, food safety, detection of foodborne pathogens, and shelf-life extension of food products. More than 150 food and food-related products searched from internet databases were identified as containing nanomaterials. Nanoparticles have the potential in the food industry to provide consumers a safe and contamination-free food and to ensure consumer acceptability of the food by enhanced functional properties. However, quality and safety control while adding nanomaterials in the food matrix is challenging due to the inherent complexity of food samples. Therefore, this chapter summarizes the food safety evaluation of nanoparticles-based sensors, chitosan nanoparticles-based food safety evaluation, food packaging, food toxicology, and other safety issues.