Nanomaterials in Food Safety

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2017) | Viewed by 39401

Special Issue Editors

Institute of Food Science and Innovation, University of Chester, Chester CH1 4BJ, UK
Institute of Food Science and Innovation, University of Chester, Chester CH1 4BJ, UK

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of Nanomaterials aims to explore the potential risks and benefits associated with the use of nanomaterials for food safety and quality assurance, as well as ensuring the integrity of the food supply chain.

Current research developments will be highlighted and potential applications to real world problems experienced within the food supply chain will be examined. The key areas to be addressed will include the use of nanomaterials as the basis of novel, rapid or inexpensive sensors, enhanced packaging performance for shelf life extension and as a mean of informing and protecting consumer health and wellbeing. Applications that deter or prevent criminal activity, such as food fraud, and protect the integrity of the supply chain are of particular interest.

Prof. Dr. Graham Bonwick
Dr. Catherine S. Birch
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • food
  • nanomaterials
  • safety
  • quality
  • integrity

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

1651 KiB  
Article
Preparation and Characterization of Nanoparticles Made from Co-Incubation of SOD and Glucose
by Liping Cai, Chuntong Lin, Nannan Yang, Zhijie Huang, Song Miao, Xiaochao Chen, Jianru Pan, Pingfan Rao and Shutao Liu
Nanomaterials 2017, 7(12), 458; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano7120458 - 19 Dec 2017
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4974
Abstract
The attractive potential of natural superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the fields of medicine and functional food is limited by its short half-life in circulation and poor permeability across the cell membrane. The nanoparticle form of SOD might overcome these limitations. However, most preparative [...] Read more.
The attractive potential of natural superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the fields of medicine and functional food is limited by its short half-life in circulation and poor permeability across the cell membrane. The nanoparticle form of SOD might overcome these limitations. However, most preparative methods have disadvantages, such as complicated operation, a variety of reagents—some of them even highly toxic—and low encapsulation efficiency or low release rate. The aim of this study is to present a simple and green approach for the preparation of SOD nanoparticles (NPs) by means of co-incubation of Cu/Zn SOD with glucose. This method was designed to prepare nanoscale aggregates based on the possible inhibitory effect of Maillard reaction on heating-induced aggregation during the co-incubation. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) results indicated that the Maillard reaction occurred during the co-incubation process. It was found that enzymatically active NPs of Cu/Zn SOD were simultaneously generated during the reaction, with an average particle size of 175.86 ± 0.71 nm, and a Zeta potential of −17.27 ± 0.59 mV, as established by the measurement of enzymatic activity, observations using field emission scanning electron microscope, and analysis of dynamic light scattering, respectively. The preparative conditions for the SOD NPs were optimized by response surface design to increase SOD activity 20.43 fold. These SOD NPs showed storage stability for 25 days and better cell uptake efficacy than natural SOD. Therefore, these NPs of SOD are expected to be a potential drug candidate or functional food factor. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the preparation of nanoparticles possessing the bioactivity of the graft component protein, using the simple and green approach of co-incubation with glucose, which occurs frequently in the food industry during thermal processing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials in Food Safety)
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1312 KiB  
Article
Bioaccessibility and Cellular Uptake of β-Carotene Encapsulated in Model O/W Emulsions: Influence of Initial Droplet Size and Emulsifiers
by Wei Lu, Alan L. Kelly and Song Miao
Nanomaterials 2017, 7(9), 282; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano7090282 - 20 Sep 2017
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 4483
Abstract
The effects of the initial emulsion structure (droplet size and emulsifier) on the properties of β-carotene-loaded emulsions and the bioavailability of β-carotene after passing through simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) digestion were investigated. Exposure to GIT significantly changed the droplet size, surface charge and [...] Read more.
The effects of the initial emulsion structure (droplet size and emulsifier) on the properties of β-carotene-loaded emulsions and the bioavailability of β-carotene after passing through simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) digestion were investigated. Exposure to GIT significantly changed the droplet size, surface charge and composition of all emulsions, and these changes were dependent on their initial droplet size and the emulsifiers used. Whey protein isolate (WPI)-stabilized emulsion showed the highest β-carotene bioaccessibility, while sodium caseinate (SCN)-stabilized emulsion showed the highest cellular uptake of β-carotene. The bioavailability of emulsion-encapsulated β-carotene based on the results of bioaccessibility and cellular uptake showed the same order with the results of cellular uptake being SCN > TW80 > WPI. An inconsistency between the results of bioaccessibility and bioavailability was observed, indicating that the cellular uptake assay is necessary for a reliable evaluation of the bioavailability of emulsion-encapsulated compounds. The findings in this study contribute to a better understanding of the correlation between emulsion structure and the digestive fate of emulsion-encapsulated nutrients, which make it possible to achieve controlled or potential targeted delivery of nutrients by designing the structure of emulsion-based carriers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials in Food Safety)
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7160 KiB  
Article
Effects of PLA Film Incorporated with ZnO Nanoparticle on the Quality Attributes of Fresh-Cut Apple
by Wenhui Li, Lin Li, Yun Cao, Tianqing Lan, Haiyan Chen and Yuyue Qin
Nanomaterials 2017, 7(8), 207; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano7080207 - 31 Jul 2017
Cited by 85 | Viewed by 5738
Abstract
A novel nanopackaging film was synthesized by incorporating ZnO nanoparticles into a poly-lactic acid (PLA) matrix, and its effect on the quality of fresh-cut apple during the period of preservation was investigated at 4 ± 1 °C for 14 days. Six wt % [...] Read more.
A novel nanopackaging film was synthesized by incorporating ZnO nanoparticles into a poly-lactic acid (PLA) matrix, and its effect on the quality of fresh-cut apple during the period of preservation was investigated at 4 ± 1 °C for 14 days. Six wt % cinnamaldehyde was added into the nano-blend film. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis showed a rougher cross-section of the nano-blend films and an X-ray diffraction (XRD) was carried out to determine the structure of the ZnO nanoparticles. Compared to the pure PLA film, the nano-blend film had a higher water vapor permeability (WVP) and lower oxygen permeability. With the increase of the nanoparticles (NPs) in the PLA, the elongation at break (ε) and elastic modulus (EM) increased, while tensile strength (TS) decreased. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) presented a relatively good thermostability. Most importantly, the physical and biochemical properties of the fresh-cut apple were also measured, such as weight loss, firmness, polyphenol oxidase (PPO), total phenolic content, browning index (BI), sensory quality, and microbiological level. The results indicated that nano-blend packaging films had the highest weight loss at the end of storage compared to the pure PLA film; however, nanopackaging provided a better retention of firmness, total phenolic countent, color, and sensory quality. It also had a remarkable inhibition on the growth of microorganisms. Therefore, Nano-ZnO active packaging could be used to improve the shelf-life of fresh-cut produce. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials in Food Safety)
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693 KiB  
Article
Nanoemulsified D-Limonene Reduces the Heat Resistance of Salmonella Senftenberg over 50 Times
by María Ros-Chumillas, Alberto Garre, Javier Maté, Alfredo Palop and Paula M. Periago
Nanomaterials 2017, 7(3), 65; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano7030065 - 15 Mar 2017
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4631
Abstract
Salmonella Senftenberg is a pathogen agent causative of foodborne disease and it is considered the most heat-resistant serovar within this genus. Food industries use heat treatment and chemical antimicrobials in order to eliminate this microorganism in food, but consumers prefer natural antimicrobials as [...] Read more.
Salmonella Senftenberg is a pathogen agent causative of foodborne disease and it is considered the most heat-resistant serovar within this genus. Food industries use heat treatment and chemical antimicrobials in order to eliminate this microorganism in food, but consumers prefer natural antimicrobials as essential oils and their components. This study evaluates the combined effect of thermal treatments and different concentrations of D-limonene nanoemulsion on the inactivation of Salmonella (S.) Senftenberg. The results showed an important effect of the nanoemulsified D-limonene on the heat resistance of S. Senftenberg. The δ50 °C value was reduced by 85%, 96% and 98% when 0.1, 0.5 and 1 mM of nanoemulsified D-limonene was added to the heating medium. The effect was kept along all the heating temperatures researched and the shape of the survival curves did not change with the addition of the antimicrobial. The results obtained in this research could be very useful for food industries for optimizing or improving heat treatments applied to food. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials in Food Safety)
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5980 KiB  
Article
Synthesis of Polyhydroxybutyrate Particles with Micro-to-Nanosized Structures and Application as Protective Coating for Packaging Papers
by Vibhore Kumar Rastogi and Pieter Samyn
Nanomaterials 2017, 7(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano7010005 - 30 Dec 2016
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 6918
Abstract
This study reports on the development of bio-based hydrophobic coatings for packaging papers through deposition of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) particles in combination with nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) and plant wax. In the first approach, PHB particles in the micrometer range (PHB-MP) were prepared through a [...] Read more.
This study reports on the development of bio-based hydrophobic coatings for packaging papers through deposition of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) particles in combination with nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) and plant wax. In the first approach, PHB particles in the micrometer range (PHB-MP) were prepared through a phase-separation technique providing internally-nanosized structures. The particles were transferred as a coating by dip-coating filter papers in the particle suspension, followed by sizing with a carnauba wax solution. This approach allowed partial to almost full surface coverage of PHB-MP over the paper surface, resulting in static water contact angles of 105°–122° and 129°–144° after additional wax coating. In the second approach, PHB particles with submicron sizes (PHB-SP) were synthesized by an oil-in-water emulsion (o/w) solvent evaporation method and mixed in aqueous suspensions with 0–7 wt % NFC. After dip-coating filter papers in PHB-SP/NFC suspensions and sizing with a carnauba wax solution, static water contact angles of 112°–152° were obtained. The intrinsic properties of the particles were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, thermal analysis and infrared spectroscopy, indicating higher crystallinity for PHB-SP than PHB-MP. The chemical interactions between the more amorphous PHB-MP particles and paper fibers were identified as an esterification reaction, while the morphology of the NFC fibrillar network was playing a key role as the binding agent in the retention of more crystalline PHB-SP at the paper surface, hence contributing to higher hydrophobicity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials in Food Safety)
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1286 KiB  
Article
Oral Toxicity and Intestinal Transport Mechanism of Colloidal Gold Nanoparticle-Treated Red Ginseng
by Song-Hwa Bae, Jin Yu, Mi-Ran Go, Hyun-Jin Kim, Yun-Gu Hwang and Soo-Jin Choi
Nanomaterials 2016, 6(11), 208; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano6110208 - 11 Nov 2016
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4701
Abstract
(1) Background: Application of nanotechnology or nanomaterials in agricultural food crops has attracted increasing attention with regard to improving crop production, quality, and nutrient utilization. Gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) have been reported to enhance seed yield, germination rate, and anti-oxidant potential in food crops, [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Application of nanotechnology or nanomaterials in agricultural food crops has attracted increasing attention with regard to improving crop production, quality, and nutrient utilization. Gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) have been reported to enhance seed yield, germination rate, and anti-oxidant potential in food crops, raising concerns about their toxicity potential. In this study, we evaluated the oral toxicity of red ginseng exposed to colloidal Au-NPs during cultivation (G-red ginseng) in rats and their intestinal transport mechanism. (2) Methods: 14-day repeated oral administration of G-red ginseng extract to rats was performed, and body weight, hematological, serum biochemical, and histopathological values were analyzed. An in vitro model of human intestinal follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) and an intestinal epithelial monolayer system were used for intestinal transport mechanistic study. (3) Results: No remarkable oral toxicity of G-red ginseng extract in rats was found, and Au-NPs did not accumulate in any organ, although Au-NP transfer to G-red ginseng and some increased saponin levels were confirmed. Au-NPs were transcytozed by microfold (M) cells, but not by a paracellular pathway in the intestinal epithelium. (4) Conclusion: These findings suggest great potential of Au-NPs for agricultural food crops at safe levels. Further study is required to elucidate the functional effects of Au-NPs on ginseng and long-term toxicity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials in Food Safety)
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2434 KiB  
Article
Detection of Prohibited Fish Drugs Using Silver Nanowires as Substrate for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering
by Jia Song, Yiqun Huang, Yuxia Fan, Zhihui Zhao, Wansong Yu, Barbara A. Rasco and Keqiang Lai
Nanomaterials 2016, 6(9), 175; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano6090175 - 21 Sep 2016
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 7225
Abstract
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering or surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a promising detection technology, and has captured increasing attention. Silver nanowires were synthesized using a rapid polyol method and optimized through adjustment of the molar ratio of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) and silver nitrate in a [...] Read more.
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering or surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a promising detection technology, and has captured increasing attention. Silver nanowires were synthesized using a rapid polyol method and optimized through adjustment of the molar ratio of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) and silver nitrate in a glycerol system. Ultraviolet-visible spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the silver nanowires. The optimal silver nanowires were used as a SERS substrate to detect prohibited fish drugs, including malachite green, crystal violet, furazolidone, and chloramphenicol. The SERS spectra of crystal violet could be clearly identified at concentrations as low as 0.01 ng/mL. The minimum detectable concentration for malachite green was 0.05 ng/mL, and for both furazolidone and chloramphenicol were 0.1 μg/mL. The results showed that the as-prepared Ag nanowires SERS substrate exhibits high sensitivity and activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials in Food Safety)
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