Green nanomaterials and nanotechnology for the food industry

Abstract Nanotechnology has several promising applications for all segments of the food supply chain, including processing, quality evaluation, packaging, and storage. To cater to the ever-growing needs of the sector, several functionalized nanomaterials are being explored, providing benefits in terms of precision, sensitivity, and overall performance. With the rising need to shift to greener alternatives, several bio-based approaches are being explored. Greener concepts are of utmost importance in the context of sustainable food processing technologies. However, most concepts are at the research level and require extensive analyses before being taken to the industry scale. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the range of applications that green nanomaterials have in the food industry. Emphasis is placed on emerging applications such as food fortification, encapsulation, nutrient delivery, biosensing, and intelligent packaging. The chapter concludes with challenges and research needs, providing insights on directions for future research.