Relationship of Nanomaterials’ Structure Based on Their Application in the Food Industry: Physicochemical and Techno-Functional Characteristics

Abstract

Food science is constantly undergoing innovation, which is why the trend toward developing nanomaterials and their use in food matrices is increasing, mainly due to the physicochemical properties nanomaterials exhibit at the nanometric scale. Therefore, it is convenient to contextualize how these nanomaterials are obtained, classified, and characterized, including interactions that occur at the biomolecule–nanostructure interface, attributed to their physical, chemical, and mechanical properties. This review discusses how nanotechnology is linked naturally to food, including macro-, micro-, and nanostructures, and how the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials influence the food industry by substantially improving the antimicrobial effects, the bioavailability of compounds, and the development of packaging. Finally, the scope of nanotechnology is broad and includes the study of new materials and existing nanostructures in foods, as well as their effects on health. Thus, the physicochemical properties at the micro- and nano-level are essential for the development of and knowledge apportion in scientific nanofood research.

Keywords

• nanomaterials
• techno-functional properties
• antimicrobial activity
• food packaging