Recent advances in the production and application of nano-enabled bioactive food ingredients

Nanotechnology has been employed for the creation of structured colloidal delivery systems that enhance the performance of functional food ingredients, such as vitamins, minerals, nutraceuticals, antimicrobials, antioxidants, colors, and flavors. A successful colloidal delivery system must be specifically designed for the particular application, which depends on the nature of the functional ingredient and end product. Nanotechnology principles are being used to tailor the composition, size, shape, charge, and morphology of the colloidal particles utilized for this purpose. This article provides an overview of some of the major developments in this area over the past few years. In particular, it focuses on recent advances in the design and fabrication of multiple-bioactive delivery systems, plant-based delivery systems, and delivery systems for specific food applications.