Abstract
In this article, several applications of nanomaterials in food packaging and food safety are reviewed, including: polymer/clay nanocomposites as high barrier packaging materials, silver nanoparticles as potent antimicrobial agents, and nanosensors and nanomaterial-based assays for the detection of foodrelevant analytes (gasses, small organic molecules and food-borne pathogens). In addition to covering the technical aspects of these topics, the current commercial status and understanding of health implications of these technologies are also discussed. These applications were chosen because they do not involve direct addition of nanoparticles to consumed foods, and thus are more likely to be marketed to the public in the short term
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Barrier applications of polymer nanocomposites
2.1. Permeability of PNCs
2.2. Structure and barrier behavior of clay and silicate nanocomposites
2.3. Brick wall layer-by-layer assemblies
2.4. Current commercial status, safety and outlook
3. Silver nanoparticles and nanocomposites as antimicrobial food packaging materials
3.1. Antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles
3.2. Polymer nanocomposites containing silver nanoparticles
3.3. Other antimicrobial nanoparticles
3.4. Health impacts of nanosilver-based biocidal materials
4. Nanosensors and nanotechnology-based assays for foodrelevant Analytes
4.1. Detection of small organic molecules
4.2. Detection of gasses
4.3. Detection of microorganisms
5. Outlook
6. References