Food Antimicrobials Nanocarriers

Food antimicrobials nanocarriers are innovative delivery systems designed to improve the efficacy, stability, and targeted delivery of antimicrobial agents in food products. These nanocarriers, typically nanoparticles or nanostructured materials, encapsulate or incorporate antimicrobial compounds such as essential oils, antimicrobial peptides, bacteriocins, enzymes, or metal nanoparticles. By encapsulating antimicrobials within nanocarriers, their stability and solubility are enhanced, allowing for controlled release and prolonged activity against foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms. Moreover, nanocarriers protect antimicrobial agents from degradation, oxidation, or interactions with food matrix components, ensuring their effectiveness throughout food processing, storage, and consumption. Various nanomaterials are employed as carriers for antimicrobials, including liposomes, nanoparticles, nanofibers, nanocomposites, and nanoemulsions. These carriers offer advantages such as high surface area-to-volume ratio, tunable properties, biocompatibility, and controlled release kinetics. Nanocarriers can be engineered to target specific sites within food matrices or microbial cells, enhancing antimicrobial efficacy while minimizing adverse effects on sensory attributes or beneficial microorganisms. Additionally, nanocarriers can improve the solubility and bioavailability of poorly water-soluble antimicrobials, allowing for their incorporation into a broader range of food products. Food antimicrobials nanocarriers find applications in various food processing operations, including meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, bakery, and beverage industries. They are used for surface treatments, coatings, packaging materials, and formulations to enhance microbial safety, extend shelf life, and preserve food quality. Nanocarriers enable the development of novel antimicrobial delivery systems with improved efficiency, safety, and sustainability compared to traditional antimicrobial agents and methods. However, challenges such as regulatory approval, safety assessment, scalability, and cost-effectiveness must be addressed to facilitate the commercialization and widespread adoption of food antimicrobials nanocarriers.