Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996; email:
Annu Rev Food Sci Technol. 2016;7:245-66. doi: 10.1146/annurev-food-041715-033215. Epub 2016 Jan 6.
In the context of food systems, organic nanoparticles (ONPs) are fabricated from proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and other organic compounds to a characteristic dimension, such as a radius smaller than 100 nm. ONPs can be fabricated with bottom-up and top-down approaches, or a combination of both, on the basis of the physicochemical properties of the source materials and the fundamental principles of physical chemistry, colloidal and polymer sciences, and materials science and engineering. ONPs are characterized for dimension, morphology, surface properties, internal structures, and biological properties to understand structure-function correlations and to explore their applications. These potential applications include modifying physical properties, improving sensory attributes and food quality, protecting labile compounds, and delivering encapsulated bioactive compounds for improved bioactivity and bioavailability. Because ONPs can have digestion and absorption properties different from conventional materials, the eventual applications of ONPs require in vitro and in vivo studies to guide the development of safe food products that utilize the unique functionalities of ONPs.
在食品体系中，有机纳米粒子（ONPs）是由蛋白质、碳水化合物、脂类和其他有机化合物制成的，具有特定的尺寸，如小于 100nm 的半径。ONPs 可以通过自下而上和自上而下的方法，或者两者的结合，根据源材料的物理化学性质和物理化学、胶体和聚合物科学以及材料科学和工程的基本原则来制造。ONPs 的尺寸、形态、表面性质、内部结构和生物学性质都要进行表征，以了解结构-功能关系，并探索其应用。这些潜在的应用包括改变物理性质、改善感官特性和食品质量、保护不稳定化合物以及输送封装的生物活性化合物，以提高生物活性和生物利用度。由于 ONPs 的消化和吸收特性可能与传统材料不同，因此 ONPs 的最终应用需要进行体外和体内研究，以指导开发利用 ONPs 独特功能的安全食品。
