ABSTRACT
Nanoscience and nanotechnology link distinct, but complementary, areas of knowledge such as physics, chemistry, life sciences, medicine, engineering, information and communication technologies, thus potentiating the share of knowledge between these fields, while offering a broad number of opportunities and applications. In the food industry, nanotechnology can be applied to improve quality, shelf life, safety, cost, and nutritional benefits of foods. One of the major challenges toward the successful application of nanotechnology for food purposes comprises the use of food-grade materials as an alternative to replace the non-food-grade polymers. The term nanotechnology has been widely used to define the deliberate synthesis and use of nano-sized objects to produce materials with new properties and functions, in order to address specific scientific and technological purposes. The application of nanotechnology in the food industry is expected to bring numerous potential benefits to the whole food chain and consequently to the final consumer.
