Potential Applications of Environmentally Friendly Nanoparticles in Food Matrices: A Review

Nanoscale particles can achieve more effective action mechanisms than microscale particles. For the synthesis of nanoparticles, pathways that consider environmental preservation are highly desirable by the consumer. Despite the lack of studies for production on an industrial scale, the exceptional functionality makes nanoparticles one of the main ways to replace synthetic additives and formulate safer foods. In this sense, this review addresses, based on bibliometric analysis, the main nanoparticles synthesized in green with properties of current interest for food matrices. The databases indicated metallic and polymeric nanoparticles as the most applied types in the food science and technology area. Metallic nanoparticles can individually or simultaneously exert antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. Furthermore, in addition to carrying bioactive compounds, polymeric nanoparticles can modulate important physical properties, such as the solubility of molecules in water and the oral perception of the product. Although in vivo studies evaluating the safety of nanoparticles are scarce, this area is in development, as green nanoparticles (GNPs) show the ability to play an essential role in food design and human health.