Use of Nanotechnology in Food Industry: A review

Food science is emerging in a fast way with collaboration of nanotechnology. The food market demands technologies, which are essential to keep market leadership in the food processing industry to produce fresh authentic, convenient and flavorful food products and nanotechnology is the answer to it. Nano particles are used as nano inside as additives and nano outside as packaging. The packaged food products are proving more health beneficial and hygiene with the help of nanotechnology. Nano particles are using as food additives makes food to stay away from microbial contamination hence lengthening the lifespan. Nanoscale food additives may for example be used to influence product shelf life, texture, flavor, nutrient composition, or even detect food pathogens and provide functions as food quality indicators. Nanotechnology providesa vast range of opportunities for the development of new products and applications in food system. Functional foods, nutraceuticals, bioactives, pharmafoods, etc. are very recentexample of it. Lowering of the cost of food additives is a milestone of using nano food additives.

INTRODUCTION Nanotechnology is the field deals with the materials of nanoscale. The National Nanotechnology Initiative calls it "nanotechnology" if only, "the research and technology development at the atomic, molecular or macromolecular levels, in the length scale of approximately 1-100 nanometer range, creating and using structures, devices and systems that have novel properties and functions because of their small and/or intermediate size and ability to control or manipulate on the atomic scale" [Ozimek et. al 2010]. Nano Particles are typically results in greater chemical activity, biological activity and catalytic behavior compared to large particles of the same composition. In food nano particles are used as additives such like preservatives, flavoring agent, antimicrobial sensors etc. and packaging substances. Nanotechnology provides a vast range of opportunities for the development of new products and applications in food system. Functional foods, nutraceuticals, bioactives, pharmafoods, etc. are very recentexample of it.Nano particles of Titanium dioxide, Silver, Zinc, Zinc Oxide, Silicon dioxide, Platinum, Gold are use vastly in food industry in different forms [Alfadul&Elneshwy2010]. In human food processing, nanocapsuleshave been used as nano-sized ingredients,additives, nutritional supplements, and infunctional foods reported thatnanoencapsulation of food ingredients andadditives have been carried out to provideprotective barriers, flavor and taste masking,controlled release, and better dispensabilityfor water-insoluble food ingredients andadditives [Mahmoud 2015].They are also aiming to develop improved tastes, reduce the amount of salt, sugar, fat and preservatives, address food-related illnesses (e.g. obesity and diabetes), develop targeted nutrition for different lifestyles and aging population, and maintain sustainability of food production, processing and food safety ].Nanoparticles and Nano capsules containing several foods are currently available for purchase, though without being required to indicate the presence of these Nanomaterials on their packaging [Paul&Dewangan 2016]. Nanotechnology is contributing to the development of innovative packaging materials that can improve the safety and shelf life of products by providing barrier materials or detect foodborne pathogens.As example,Synthetic amorphous silica (SAS) is used for surface coating of packaging materials, for the clearing of beverages, and mostly as a free-flow and anti-caking agent in many powdered food items (E551) [Aschberger et al. 2015].Some food materials packaging are equipped with nano sensors is designed to track either the internal or the external conditions of the food products, pellets and containers throughout the supply chain. Such packaging can monitor temperature or humidity over time and then provide relevant information on these conditions [Prasanna&Shanmuganathan 2011]. Also, Nanotechnology is used these days to increase the bioavailability of many vitamins as well astheir precursors. The vitamins and precursors which are insoluble in water can be solubilized by a nanoparticleformulation [Prakash et al. 2013].The unique properties of these nanostructures and nanomaterials including physical, chemical, and biological properties are considerably different from their bulk counterparts alter the understanding of biological and physical occurrence in food systems. Several recent reports and reviews have identified potential applications of nanotechnology for the food sector to improve food safety, to enhance packaging and lead to improved processing and nutrition [Pathakoti et al. 2017].
The next wave of food innovation will require a shift of focus from macroscopic properties to those on the mesoand Nano-scales, as these subsequently control the hierarchical structures in food and food functionality [Paul &Dewangan 2016]. Though the urge of use of nanotechnology in food is increasing day by day the potential (eco) toxicological effects and impacts of nano particles have so far received little attention [Bouwmeester et al. 2009]. Very often the physicochemical characterization of the nano particles is very poor and was reported in less than 15% of the records concerning (eco)toxicity and risk assessment of nano particles. The most tested toxicity endpoints include genotoxicity, acute toxicity, cytotoxicity and repeated dose toxicity [Aschberger et al. 2015]. Before applying nano particles in consumer based products a good understanding of its potential negative impact on biological system is needed.

Nano Particles in Food Processing:
Food processing is the practice to preserve the food by different methods and techniques to transform food to a consumable state and these techniques are designed in such a way that the flavor and quality of the food are kept intact but they are also protected from micro-organisms.The food market demands technologies, which are essential to keep market leadership in the food processing industry to produce fresh authentic, convenient and flavorful food products and nanotechnology is the answer to it [Chaudhry 2009]. Food processing methods like incorporation nutraceuticals, mineral and vitamin fortification, gelation and viscosifying agents, nutrient delivery and nanoencapsulation of flavors use nanomaterials in their contents [Pradhan et al. 2015]. Nanoparticles are added to many foods to improve flow properties, colour and stability during processing, or to increase shelf life. For example, aluminosilicate materials are commonly used as anticaking agents in granular or powdered processed foods, while anatase titanium dioxide is a common food whitener and brightener additive, used in confectionery, some cheeses and sauces [Alfadul&Elneshwy2010].

Nanoencapsulation:
Nanoencapsulation provide several benefits such as enhance stability, ease of handling, retention of volatile ingredients, protection against oxidation, p H and moisture triggered controlled release, taste making, consecutive delivery of multiple active ingredients, change in flavor character, long lasting organoleptic perception and enhanced bioavailability and efficacy [Marsh &Bugusu 2007]. Nanocapsules are prepared basically in six ways named as nanoprecipitation, emulsion-diffusion, double emulsification, emulsioncoacervation, polymer coating and layer-by-layer [Maynard et al. 2006]. Nanocapsules are used to deliver lipophilic health supplements such as vitamins and minerals in the food, fatty acids and growth hormones, increasing the nutrient content of the food [Dreher 2004].Patented "Nano drop" delivery systems is in the form of encapsulated materials, such as vitamins. It is administered transmucosally, rather than through conventional delivery systems such as pills, liquids, or capsules [Paul &Dewangan 2016]. That contains a natural biopolymer from yeast cell walls that is intended to bind mycotoxins to protect animals against mycotoxicosis is an example of a food additives. The potential use of an aflatoxin-binding nano-additive for animal feed, which is derived from modified Nano clay, has also been suggested. An NP that adheres to E. coli, comprising a polystyrene base, polyethylene glycol linker and mannose-targeting biomolecule has been developed by scientists. These NPs are designed to be administered through feed to remove food-borne pathogens in the GI tracts of livestock (FAO/WHO, 2010).Nanoparticles of Silica has no nutritional value. In food applications, it is mainly used as a technical additive by encapsulatingfor food processing. Silicas are especially used as free flowing agents (e.g. tomato powder, Nanoemulsions. The objective is to produce ice cream with lower fat content, achieving a fat reduction from the actual 16% to 1% . Nestlé has a patent in water-in-oil emulsions (10-500 nm), aiming at achieving quicker and simpler thawing through the addition of polysorbates and other micelle-forming substances; these are claimed to contribute to a uniform thawing of frozen foods in the microwave [Silva et al. 2012].

Nano Particles in Food Packaging:
Food packaging continues to evolve in response to the advancement of material science andtechnology, as well as the changing consumers' lifestyle. In today's global economy, packagingnot only is essential to enable effective distribution and preservation of food and other consumerproducts, but also to facilitate their end-use convenience and communication at the consumerlevels. With these important functions, packaging has become the third largest industry in the world and it represents about 2% of Gross National Product (GNP) in developed countries (Han, 2005;Robertson, 2005). Packaging provides containment and protects food products during distribution andstorage from external and internal unfavorable conditions, such as water vapour, microorganism,gases, orders, dust, and mechanical shock and vibrations. Due to consumers' complex and busy lifestyle in the modern society, food producers are striving to develop functional packagingsystems with enhanced end use convenience features. Besides all these functions, it providesessential product information to consumer to facilitate the promotion and advertisement of theproduct. In advanced packaging systems,these functions are augmented through interactive mechanisms driven by physical, chemical and/or biological processes. Here, intelligent packaging systems are those that possess enhancedfunction with respect to communication and marketing functions, such as to provide dynamicfeedback to the consumer on the actual quality of the product. On the other hand, activepackaging is focused on providing protection and preservation of the food through somemechanism activated by intrinsic and/or extrinsic factors (Lim, 2011).Nanotechnology is a powerful interdisciplinary tool for the development 47 of innovative products. It has been predicted that nanotechnology will impact at least $3 trillion across the global economy by 2020, creating a demand of 6 million employers in various industries (Duncan, 2011). In 2008, the global nanotechnology-related food packaging was US$4.13 billion, which has been projected to at about 12% compound annual growth rate (" Nano-enabled Packaging for the Food and Beverage Industry -A Global Technology, Industry and Market Analysis 2009," 2009). With this global trend, it is expected that nanotechnology will provide an important technology push in the food packaging industry to develop advanced packagingapplications for fulfilling consumer's needs. Nanotechnology is highly interdisciplinary involving the exploitation of materials with one or more dimensions that are less than 100 nm. Typical nanomaterials can be classified intothree main classes: 1) particulates; 2) platelets; and 3) fibers (Schmidt et al., 2002;Thostenson et al., 2005). Due to their nano-sized dimensions, these materials possess very large surface-to-volume ratio and surface activity. When added to compatible polymers, the nanomaterials can dramatically enhance the material properties of the resulting nanocomposites, such as improved mechanical strength, enhanced thermal stability, increased electrical conductivity, and so on (Uskokovic, 2007). Thus, nanomaterials are promising for improving the mechanical and barrier properties of food packages, as well as the development of advanced structures for active and intelligent applications. A literature review of the safety and regulation of nanotechnologies in food packaging,specifically, the aim of the review was to: I. Identify types of nanotechnologies currently used in food contact packaging with an aim to identify those that may result in migration of Nanomaterials from the packaging into food. II.
Where possible, identify publically available evidence that the nanotechnologies identified in the previous task are applied in Australia and/or New Zealand, either in domestically produced or imported products. III.
Ascertain if there is reasonable scientific evidence that the application of nanotechnologies to food packaging materials may potentially pose a risk to public health and safety, due to the migration of Nanomaterials into food and its subsequent ingestion. IV.
Include a brief synopsis of international regulations currently in place, or in development, which deal with the use of nanotechnologies in food contact packaging. V.
Use case studies, based on data, to place the above tasks into context and assist to identify data gaps that may hinder formal risk assessment of a novel Nanomaterials intended for food packaging.

International Journal of Environment, Agriculture and Biotechnology (IJEAB)
Vol -2, Issue-4, July-Aug-2017  http://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijeab/2.4.90  ISSN: 2456-1878 www.ijeab.com Nanoparticles in this report are defined as an engineered form of matter having at least one dimension in the nanometer scale (<100 nm). Similarly, Nanomaterials are materials with any external dimension in the nanoscale or having internal structure or surface structure in the nanoscale.
Numerous applications for Nanomaterials in food packaging have been proposed. Their purpose includes conveying antimicrobial and barrier properties to prevent food spoilage, enhancing film mechanical properties such as emulsification, foaming and water binding capacity, or enhancing other chemical-physical properties of polymers used in food packaging such as thermal stability and crystalline (Aresta et al. 2013, Beltran et al. 2014). Although many Nanomaterials have been proposed for use in food packaging, this report focuses on those currently used in foods. The focus is also on food packaging per se(e.g. food containers, food wraps and films), rather than food contact materials (e.g. fridges, cutting boards, cutlery). Identifies the functions and types of Nanomaterials proposed for use in food packaging, and identifies those for which there is evidence of their use in world.Nanotechnology-enabled food packaging can generally be divided into three main following categories (Silvestre et al. 2011;Duncan 2011). Improved packaging: Whereby Nanomaterials are mixed into the polymer matrix to improve the gas barrier properties, as well as temperature and humidity resistance of the packaging. Active packaging: Illustrated by the use of Nanomaterials to interact directly with the food or the environment to allow better protection of the product. For example, silver nanoparticles and silver coatings can provide anti-microbial properties, with other materials being used as oxygen or UV scavengers  , for example detecting specific pathogens developing in the food, or specific gases from food spoiling. Some "smart" packaging has also been developed to be used as a tracking device for food safety or to avoid counterfeit.

Nanotechnologies used in food packaging
The information gathered indicated nanotechnology applications in the food sector are increasing worldwide, and many international food companies are exploring their potential applications. Among the nanotechnology applications for the food sector, nanotechnology-derived food contact materials make up the largest share of the current and short-term predicted market; a range of these are already available in some countries, and it is widely expected they will become increasingly available worldwide in the next few years ). In 2008 the global nano-enabled food and beverage packaging market was 4.13 billion US dollars and was projected to grow to 7.3 billion US dollars by 2014 (Duncan 2011, iRAP 2009).

Current uses
Among several thermoplastics, polyolefin are the most used plastics materials in the food packaging sector. Polypropylene (a type of polyolefin) films are often used because of their transparency, brilliance, low specific weight and chemical inertness. However, polypropylene (PP) (like other polyolefin's and other polymers is also characterized by low barrier properties (i.e. an inherentpermeability to gases and other small molecules), which results in poor protection of packaged foods. One of the methods to improve PP and other plastics' barrier deficiencies is to add a second component such as a Such nanocomposites are reinforced with small quantities (typically up to 5% by weight) of nanoparticles4, which have very high aspect ratios (L/h>300) , FAO/WHO 2009, NanosafePACK 2012). They are incorporated in addition to the traditional fillers and additives. Nanomaterials have large aspect ratios which, when incorporated as fillers into the walls of packaging, creates an obstacle for gas and moisture passing through packaging walls by increasing the path that the gas/moisture must travel (Hannon et al. 2015 A well-known example of one of the first nanocomposites to be explored for use in food packaging to enhance barrier properties is nano-clay, which has been incorporated with nylons, polyolefins, copolymers, epoxy resins, polyurethane, polyethylene terephthalate, etc. Some materials are already commercially available, and used by beverage companies in certain countries. Nano-clay is presented in this report as a case study. Formulation of nanobiocomposites combining nanosilver with nano-clay or other nanomaterials (e.g. titanium dioxide) to enhance both barrier and antimicrobial properties has also been studied for potential future application in food packaging (Busolo et al. 2010, Cozmuta et al. 2014. Other examples of nanomaterials potentially used in food packaging6 include alumina (e.g. wheel-shaped alumina platelets used as fillers for plastic materials), nano-precipitated calcium carbonate (to improve mechanical properties, heat resistance and printing quality of polyethylene), polyhedral oligomericsilsesquioxane (POSS) nanoclay (to improve barrier properties), zinc oxide calcium alginate nanofilms (used as a food preservative), and silica/polymer hybrids (to improve oxygen-diffusion barriers for plastics) (

II.
CONCLUSION In conclusion, nanotechnology will serve as an important tool to overcome existingchallenges that are associated with packaging materials. This advancement will positively affectthe shelf-life, quality, safety, and security of foods, which will ultimately benefit both the producers and consumers. However, precautionary principles should be applied and moreresearch is needed, especially on the migration behaviors of Nanomaterials in food and their potential impacts on health/safety, as well as the environment. A sustainable packaging solution can be achieved only if it is socially responsible, economically viable, and environmentallysound.