Food-Grade Protein-Based Nanoparticles and Microparticles for Bioactive Delivery: Fabrication, Characterization, and Utilization

Proteins can be used to fabricate nanoparticles and microparticles suitable for use as delivery systems for bioactive compounds in pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic, and other products. Food proteins originate from various animal or vegetal sources and exhibit a wide diversity of molecular and physicochemical characteristics, e.g., molecular weight, conformation, flexibility, polarity, charge, isoelectric point, solubility, and interactions. As a result, protein particles can be assembled using numerous different preparation methods, from one or more types of protein or from a combination of a protein and another type of biopolymer (usually a polysaccharide). The final characteristics of the particles produced are determined by the proteins and/or polysaccharides used, as well as the fabrication techniques employed. This chapter provides an overview of the functional properties of food proteins that can be used to assemble nanoparticles and microparticles, the fabrication techniques available to create those particles, the factors that influence their stability, and their potential applications within the food industry.