ABSTRACT
Nanotechnology is a rapidly growing field of research with diverse applications in various sectors of the industry. Nanoparticles (NPs) are extensively used for a broad variety of industrial, biomedical, pharmaceutical, and commercial applications due to their unique physicochemical properties. NPs exist in different forms of metals, metal oxides, quantum dots, polymers, carbon materials, and other NPs. This chapter discusses research efforts and potential application of nanotechnology in agriculture, food, biomedical, biological, and pharmaceutical applications. Nanotechnology applications to the agri-food sector are rather recent compared with their use in drug delivery and pharmaceuticals. Applications of nanotechnology in food industry include: food packaging, food processing, encapsulation of nutrients, and development of new functional foods. Nanosensors and nanobarcodes are used to assure food quality and safety. Besides these topics, this review also addresses biomedical applications such as nano-diagnostics, and developments in the discovery, design, and delivery of drugs, including nano-pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, topics on biological therapies such as 122vaccination, cell therapy, and gene therapy are also covered. In the end, the implications and perspectives of nanotechnology are discussed.
