Nanotechnology in food

Nanotechnology is a rapidly developing innovation that allows for continuous improvement in the food industry. It plays an important role in the food sector, offering solutions that increase product shelf life, improve packaging properties, and enhance the bioavailability of nutrients through nanoencapsulation, i.e., a technology that allows bioactive substances such as carotenoids or omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA) to be enclosed in nanocarriers, e.g., lipid nanoemulsions, thereby increasing their stability, solubility, and bioavailability, as well as enabling some control over their release in the digestive tract. At the same time, numerous questions arise regarding toxicity and consumer safety, resulting from the possibility of nanomaterials migrating into food, their biological reactivity, and their fate in the human digestive tract. Current research indicates that nanoparticles can cause oxidative stress, DNA damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation, which is closely related to their physicochemical properties. Although many toxic effects are mainly observed in in vitro studies, there is a lack of clear data on their in vivo effects and long-term impact on human health. The conclusions emphasize the need for further research on biotransformation, bioaccumulation, interaction with the gut microbiome, and the development of uniform risk assessment methods to enable the safe and informed use of nanotechnology in food in the future.