Chapter 17 - Nanomaterials for nutraceuticals and preservative agents

Abstract

Increasing the demands of consumers for healthy and safe foods has led to applying new technologies for health-promoting foods and food preservation. Nanotechnology has ensured a suitable place in the food industry as a complementary tool for improving and innovating products, such as nutraceuticals and preservative agents. Nanomaterials applied to food products can provide better performance about bioavailability, protection of compounds, solubility, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, modulated compound release, and shelf life. The structure of the food product can affect not only the digestion but also the absorption of the nutrients. In this context, nanocarriers for nutraceuticals have been extensively studied and show promising results for the most diverse bioactive compounds, such as phenolics, carotenoids, fatty acids, prebiotics, phytoestrogens, among others. Food-grade nanocarriers and nano-based packaging containing antimicrobial and antioxidant agents are good candidates for promoting the shelf life of food products and avoiding synthetic preservative agents. The main types of nanomaterials or nanoformulations used in the food industry include lipid-based nanocarriers, such as nanoliposomes and nanoemulsions, nanomicelles, organic and inorganic nanoparticles (NPs), and cyclodextrins. In this chapter, the main types of nanomaterials in the food industry, their characteristics, and the potential application of nanomaterials and nanoencapsulation delivery systems for nutraceuticals and preservative agents are discussed. In addition, technologies for nanomaterials production are also reviewed.