Importance and health hazards of nanoparticles used in the food industry

Abstract

Nanoparticles are considered magic bullets because of their unique properties. Nowadays, the use of nanoparticles has emerged in almost every field of science and technology, owing to its potential of revolutionizing specific fields. In the field of food science and technology, the use of nanoparticles is being studied in diverse areas, starting with the harvesting of crops up to final food consumption. With the increased usage of nanoparticles in day-to-day life, concern over their safety has arisen in everyone's mind. There is an imbalance between the increase in research to identify new nanoparticle applications and their safety, and this has triggered pressure on scientists to identify the possible effects of nanoparticles on human health. There are numerous studies on the use of nanotechnology in food and the effect of nanoparticles on human health, but there is a vacuum in the literature in terms of the combined analysis of such studies. This review is an attempt to present and analyze different studies on the use and the safety of nanoparticles in food.