The Rise of Nanotechnology- Food Processing and Packaging
Harpreet Kaur
Department of Food Technology, RIMT University, Punjab (147301), India.
Anjum Ayoub *
Division of Processing and Food Engineering, SKUAST, Jammu (180009), India.
Sukhmandeep Kaur
Department of Food Technology, RIMT University, Punjab (147301), India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The main concern of food processing is to satisfy the demand of excellent quality product and safety concerns related to product. Nanotechnology has contributed a lot in the area of eatable production, preservation and wrapping by increasing the product shelf life. The applications are not limited up to fresh foods, novel food products are also being designed through nano-delivery systems which act as food supplement carriers in the process. Packaging materials based on nanotechnology provides better barrier and mechanical properties with an opportunity of preservation, achieved by controlled release of preservatives or antimicrobials. Here, an outline has been specified on nanotechnology applications in the areas of food production, preservation and packaging.
Keywords: Nanotechnology, packaging materials, shelf life, food processing