Abstract
Nanotechnology has impacted the food industry, mainly on developing healthier, safer, and high-quality functional food. Flavonoids are valuable compounds present in plants, fruits, grains, roots, stems, tea, and wine, among others; they possess many benefits for health due to their antioxidant properties toward reactive oxygen species, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative, among others. These characteristics make flavonoids attractive in various industrial areas such as medicine, nutraceutical, cosmetology, and pharmaceutical. Unfortunately, flavonoids lack long-term stability, are sensitive to light, long periods of darkness with low oxygen concentration, and often present a low water solubility and poor bioavailability. Nanoencapsulation is an alternative to improve bioavailability and sensitivity in the manufacturing process, based on encapsulating substances on a nanoscale. Nanocapsules are a promising strategy in significantly enhancing the delivery of compounds to various sites in the body. The development of biopolymers to encapsulate sensitive compounds is increasing, as well as the search for the non-toxic, biodegradable, natural and biocompatible characteristics of polymers, is fundamental. The present review describes the recent techniques and technologies for the nanoencapsulation of flavonoids. It discusses their potential advantages and possible limitations, compares natural and synthetic biopolymers, and finally, details nanoparticle regulation.
Highlights
Nowadays, the consumer demands quality and health benefits in their food while preserving all the organoleptic properties
Flavonoids are phenolic substances isolated from natural sources because they belong to a class of plant secondary metabolites
Flavonoids are compounds with several benefits to human health. They are present in many vegetables, fruits, plants, and food, but the human body cannot take advantage of all properties due to poor bioavailability during gastrointestinal tract (GIT)
Summary
The consumer demands quality and health benefits in their food while preserving all the organoleptic properties. The food industry has increased demand for nanotechnology applications; it provides strategies to solve significant problems ranging from food manufacturing and processing to packaging. Bioactive compounds tend to have low solubility in water or low bioavailability [5] These are some of the reasons that do not allow consumers to experience their benefits. The unique properties of nanomaterials provide significant advantages for food processing They are mainly used as ingredients or supplements [7]. Nanomaterials could improve compatibility with the food matrix, increasing the shelf life and bioavailability of the food products [8]. The primary purpose of nanometric delivery systems is to improve the digestion, release, and absorption of lipophilic bioactive compounds, or chemically unstable molecules. Nanostructured food ingredients and delivery systems for nutrients and supplements comprise the main focus in nanotechnology applications in foods [11]
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