Food colloids binary and ternary nanocomplexes: Innovations and discoveries

Designing nanoparticles that are suitable for fortification of bioactive compounds in foods has always been a challenging task among colloidal scientists and nanotechnologists. To achieve this goal, there are several research objectives in general, including but not limited to: (1) preparation of nanoparticles from edible biomaterials without using organic solvents and toxic chemicals to ensure food-grade status; (2) improving colloidal stability of these nanoparticles under various harsh conditions including food processing (heating, high pressure, drying, etc.) and gastrointestinal environment (low pH, bile salt and digestive enzymes); (3) studying interactions between bioactive compounds and nanoparticles for optimal encapsulation; (4) understanding biological fate of these nanoparticles upon oral administration. Although a variety of nanoparticles may be fabricated from individual biomaterial, such as protein, polysaccharide and lipid, complex or hybrid nanoparticles made with two or more biomaterials have received increasing attention in recent 5-10 years due to many advantageous structural features and physicochemical properties. The major focus of my research group, i.e., the Nanotechnology and Biodelivery Laboratory at the University of Connecticut (CT, USA), is to apply materials science and engineering principles to understand physical and chemical interactions among various natural biomaterials at the nanoscale and design novel nanocarriers for delivery of various bioactive compounds in functional foods. In this Biointerface Perspective, I will first introduce the fundamental principles on the preparation of nanoparticles made from food colloids, and then I will share in detail the critical reflection on my research journey into the development of innovative colloidal binary and ternary nanocomplexes.