Trends of Nanoencapsulation Strategy for Natural Compounds in the Food Industry

Abstract

Nanotechnology is an emerging field in the food industry that will be important for future industrial production to address rising customer concerns and expectations for natural, nutritious, and healthful food items. People are increasingly motivated to purchase unprocessed food or even high-quality processed foods with minimum chemical additives, highlighting the need to investigate natural alternatives for commercial purposes. Natural compounds are becoming more popular among consumers since they are safer than synthetic chemical additions; however, their most functional compounds are sensitive to the adverse conditions of processing and the digestive tract, impairing their use in food matrices, and industrial-scale applications. Nowadays, nanoencapsulation of natural products can be the most suitable nanotechnology to improve stability, solubility, and bioavailability. The nanostructure can be incorporated into food during production, processing, packaging, and security. Despite the many studies on nanoencapsulation, there is still some misunderstanding about nanoencapsulation systems and preparation techniques. This review aims to categorize different nanoencapsulation techniques (chemical, physicochemical, and physicomechanical), highlight eco-friendly methods, and classify the nanoencapsulation systems as groups (polymer, lipidic and metallic). The current review summarizes recent data on the nanoencapsulation of natural compounds in the food industry that has been published since 2015 until now. Finally, this review presents the challenges and future perspectives on the nanoencapsulation of bioactive compounds in food science.

Effect of Inlet Air Temperature and Quinoa Starch/Gum Arabic Ratio on Nanoencapsulation of Bioactive Compounds from Andean Potato Cultivars by Spray-Drying

“…Among the nanoencapsulation techniques, spray-drying is widely used at the industrial level because of its scalability and low cost [26]. However, the process conditions can affect the characteristics of the obtained nanocapsules [27]. Two critical parameters are the inlet temperature of the equipment and the percentage of the encapsulant material [28,29].…”

Skin Protection by Carotenoid Pigments

“…A few reviews have been published on the progress of new nanoformulations containing plant extracts for topical application to the skin [312,313]. Nanoencapsulation systems containing natural bioactive compounds were collected, among others, by Taouzinet et al [314]. Table 4 summarizes examples of various nanoformulations containing carotenoids to increase stability and bioavailability, either for topical or oral delivery.…”

Saffron Nanoencapsulation (Crocus sativus) and Its Role in Food Science: Types and Techniques

“…Nanoencapsulation plays a significant role in the field of food science as it improves the stability, solubility, and bioavailability of natural compounds within food matrices and industries (Figure A) . This promising nanotechnology can be effectively utilized in various stages of food production .…”

“…It can scavenge oxygen and moisture, have antibacterial effects, act as a gas barrier, be strong and flexible, and monitor freshness all of which help food goods have longer shelflife on the market and retain their quality without deteriorating . Furthermore, improved barrier and mechanical qualities are provided by nanotechnology-based nanopackaging materials, which further improve food preservation by enabling the controlled release of preservatives or antimicrobials . Furthermore, the incorporation of nanoencapsulation can enhance the stability, solubility, and bioavailability of substances found in food.…”