Nanoscience in Food and Agriculture 4. Preface

Shivendu Ranjan (1) , Eric Lichtfouse (2) , Nandita Dasgupta (1)

1 VIT - Vellore Institute of Technology
2 CEREGE - Centre européen de recherche et d'enseignement des géosciences de l'environnement

This book is the fourth of several volumes on Nanoscience in Food and Agriculture, published in the series Sustainable Agriculture Reviews (http://www.springer.com/series/8380). Nanotechnology, which is the use of techniques to build nanomaterials, is a fast emerging scientific topic. However nanomaterials are not new, they have always occurred in nature. What is new is the methods that allow to synthesise unprecedented nanomaterials of taylored, fine-tuned properties, thus opening many applications in diverse fields. In particular, the high surface to volume ratio of engineered nanomaterials makes them often more efficient than in nature. Surprisingly, some nanomaterials even exhibit contrasting properties compared to their macro counterpart. While nanomaterials are actually commercialized in various sectors, their use in food industries is still slowly emerging and debated. Results show that nanomaterials improve bioavailability, shelf life and nutrient deliver, they reduce nutrient loss and are essential in active packaging. Active packaging, also named intelligent or smart packaging, refers to packaging systems that help to extend shelf life, monitor freshness, display information on quality, improve safety, and improve convenience. Nethertheless, the potential toxicity of new nanomaterials should be studied before their use in consumer products. This book presents comprehensive reviews on the principles, design and applications of nanomaterials in food, water and pharmaceutical sectors.

Mots clés: food packaging; nanomaterial; agriculture

Domaines: Ingénierie des aliments; Sciences agricoles; Micro et nanotechnologies/Microélectronique

Shivendu Ranjan, Eric Lichtfouse, Nandita Dasgupta. Nanoscience in Food and Agriculture 4. Preface. Shivendu Ranjan, Nandita Dasgupta, Eric Lichtfouse. Nanoscience in Food and Agriculture 4, 24, Springer Nature, pp.VII-IX, 2017, Sustainable Agriculture Reviews, 978-3-319-53112-0. ⟨10.1007/978-3-319-53112-0⟩. ⟨hal-01791687⟩