ABSTRACT
Electrospinning and electrospraying are simple and efficient technologies that utilize high electrostatic potentials to draw polymer solutions or polymer melt into fibers or particles, respectively. The structure and the physicochemical properties of electrospun fibers and electrosprayed particles can be tailored according to the end application, and for this reason, electrospinning and electrospraying are very versatile and appealing techniques. Several potential applications in which electrospinning/electrospraying may provide a plausible solution have been reported mainly for the biomedical field (e.g., tissue substitutes and drug delivery systems). However, their applications in the field of food processing engineering have not often been explored. This chapter highlights some recent advances carried out by electrospinning and electrospraying in food encapsulation, food packaging, sensing applications, and food filtration. It also discusses the opportunities and limitations of these technologies, which should be addressed before large-scale production of electrospun and electrosprayed structures of interest in the food field can take place.
