METAL NANOPARTICLES IN NANOSENSORS FOR FOOD QUALITY ASSURANCE

Background: Nanotechnology is applied in the food industry to ensure food safety, and it is used both in the processing of food and detection of contaminants. The assurance of quality and safety of food has become an important issue for authorities and food supply chain actors. In order to protect consumers from contamination, adulteration and spoilage, it is absolutely necessary to conduct analyses of food, as it is exposed to numerous chemical substances, which may be harmful to human beings and the environment.

Methods:  This work presents an overview of the literature concerning nanosensors with metal nanoparticles, which are used to detect the presence of chemical contaminants, pathogens and toxins, as well as to monitor food quality status. Such solutions will undoubtedly contribute to maintaining the safety and quality of food.

Results and conclusion: At present, food supply chains are becoming more complex, environmental constraints are becoming stricter, and consumers are changing the way in which they select and consume food, and all those factors inspire modern societies to be more concerned about the harmful substances that could be present in food products. Application of nanoparticles in the food production industry are farreaching and more research in this space is warranted. As developments in the research and development of nanotechnologies continue, so will the opportunities for the food industry to benefit from nanoscience.