The Toxicity of Oil Nanoparticles: A Review Focused on Food Science

Oil nanocapsules (ONP) can increase oil solubility and also enhance the availability of their bioactive substances; however, little is known about their safety. This research provides an overview of the toxicity of ONP for food applications based on a search in the Scopus, Science Direct, and Pubmed/Medline databases. Among all the studies concerning ONP and food, only 5% have performed toxicity assessments; and 71.3%, 21.4%, and 7.3% involved essential, vegetable, and seaweed oils, respectively. All the studies evaluating cell viability were performed under in vitro conditions and most of them (85%) used MTT reduction assay. Only 1 study used in vivo experimental approaches based on a mouse model, although in vitro (MTT) analyses were also performed. About 43% of the studies reported decreases in the viability of healthy cells in the highest concentrations tested. Concerning the potential beneficial effects of ONP, there were 7 and 6 studies pointing to antioxidant and anti-cancer effects, respectively. Although there is no consensus on safety, there already are 97 patents using ONP in the food industry, indicating the need for further studies in this field to safely use this innovative technology.

Automated summary

This research provides an overview of the toxicity of oil nanocapsules (ONP) for food applications. It suggests that while ONP may have potential beneficial effects such as antioxidant and anti-cancer properties, there is limited knowledge about its safety. Further studies are needed to ensure the safe use of this innovative technology.