Cereal proteins in nanotechnology: formulation of encapsulation and delivery systems

Cereals are an abundant and relatively inexpensive source of plant-based proteins that play critical nutritional and functional roles in foods. However, their poor solubility in aqueous solutions limits their application in many food products. A number of strategies are, therefore, being developed to overcome this limitation. Physical, chemical, and enzymatic modification of cereals protein can be used to improve their solubility and functionality. For instance, modified cereal proteins can be used as emulsifiers to stabilize lipid nanodroplets. The low water-solubility of cereal proteins is an advantage in the fabrication of protein nanoparticles created using antisolvent precipitation methods. These nanoparticles can be used to encapsulate bioactive agents or to stabilize emulsions through a Pickering mechanism.