Is nano safe in foods? Establishing the factors impacting the gastrointestinal fate and toxicity of organic and inorganic food-grade nanoparticles

• Published in: NPJ science of food Vol. 1; no. 1; p. 6
• Main Authors: McClements, David Julian, Xiao, Hang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 20-11-2017; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 639/301/357/354; 639/925/928/1065; Carbohydrates; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chemistry/Food Science; Food; Food industry; Food matrix; Food Microbiology; Food packaging; Food packaging industry; Food processing; Food processing industry; Food Science; Functional foods & nutraceuticals; Gastrointestinal system; Gastrointestinal tract; Iron oxides; Lipids; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; Nutrients; Nutrition; Optical properties; Preservatives; Processed foods; Regulatory agencies; Review; Review Article; Rheological properties; Shelf life; Silicon dioxide; Silver; Surgical implants; Titanium dioxide; Toxicity; Zinc oxide; Nanoparticles; Cell-particle interactions
• ISSN: 2396-8370; 2396-8370
• DOI: 10.1038/s41538-017-0005-1

Nanotechnology offers the food industry a number of new approaches for improving the quality, shelf life, safety, and healthiness of foods. Nevertheless, there is concern from consumers, regulatory agencies, and the food industry about potential adverse effects (toxicity) associated with the application of nanotechnology in foods. In particular, there is concern about the direct incorporation of engineered nanoparticles into foods, such as those used as delivery systems for colors, flavors, preservatives, nutrients, and nutraceuticals, or those used to modify the optical, rheological, or flow properties of foods or food packaging. This review article summarizes the application of both inorganic (silver, iron oxide, titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, and zinc oxide) and organic (lipid, protein, and carbohydrate) nanoparticles in foods, highlights the most important nanoparticle characteristics that influence their behavior, discusses the importance of food matrix and gastrointestinal tract effects on nanoparticle properties, emphasizes potential toxicity mechanisms of different food-grade nanoparticles, and stresses important areas where research is still needed. The authors note that nanoparticles are already present in many natural and processed foods, and that new kinds of nanoparticles may be utilized as functional ingredients by the food industry in the future. Many of these nanoparticles are unlikely to have adverse affects on human health, but there is evidence that some of them could have harmful effects and that future studies are required.