Lipids in Nanotechnology

Moghis U. Ahmad

• Publisher: Academic Press and AOCS Press
• Year: 2015
• ISBN:
  9780128043455
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Food Science
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Nanotechnology is a rapidly expanding field which includes fundamental nanoscale phenomena and processes, nanomaterials, nanoscale devices and systems, nanomanufacturing, and benefits and risks of nanotechnology. This book serves as a valuable reference and resource for those interested in the field of nanotechnology – from basic research to engineering aspects of nanoparticles. It covers thermodynamics to engineering aspects of nanoparticles or nanoemulsions; synthesis and applications of surface active lipids to food and cosmetics; and pharmaceutical applications to nanomedicine. Lipids in Nanotechnology will be useful to scholars, scientists, and technologists who are interested in the field of lipid nanotechnology.

• Discusses an overview of the opportunities and challenges of lipids in nanotechnology
• Presents applications of nanotechnology for use in drug delivery, nanomedicine, and pharmaceutical developments
• Explores the potential for lipids to act as encapsulation agents or delivery vehicles of bioactive compounds

1

NANOTECHNOLOGY: EMERGING INTEREST, OPPORTUNITIES, AND CHALLENGES

Moghis U. Ahmad, Jina Pharmaceuticals Inc., 28100 N. Ashley Circle, Suite 103, Libertyville, IL, 60048, USA

INTRODUCTION

The field of nanotechnology was first predicted by Richard Feynman (Nobel Laureate in Physics, 1965) in his pioneering lecture entitled “There’s plenty of room at the bottom” at the 1959 meeting of the American Physical Society. Nanoparticles can range in size from 1 to 100 nanometers (nm). One nanometer is equal to one billionth of a meter (1nm = 10⁻⁹ m). The National Science Foundation and the National Nanotechnology Initiative define nanotechnology as understanding and control of matter at dimensions of 1–100 nm, where unique phenomena enable novel applications (NNI, 2006).

A nanometer-sized particle measures one billionth of a meter and one can imagine how small it is when a human hair measures 80,000 nm, a DNA strand is 2.5 nm wide, and a protein chain is 5 nm in diameter. Applications with structural features on the nanoscale level have physical, chemical, and biological properties that are substantially different from their macroscopic counterparts; nanotechnology can be beneficial on various levels. Nanotechnology has become a rapidly growing field with potential applications from electronics to food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. In this chapter I will focus on present and future applications of nanotechnology in food and nutraceuticals systems and in cosmetics.

Research in chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering drives the development and exploration of the nanotechnology field. The applications to the agriculture and food sector are relatively recent compared with the use of nanotechnology in cosmetics, drug delivery and pharmaceuticals, microelectronics, and aerospace. Certain industries such as microelectronics, aerospace, and pharmaceuticals have already begun manufacturing commercial products of nanoscale size. Even though the food industry is just beginning to explore its applications, nanotechnology exhibits a great potential (Tarver, 2006).

Food nanotechnology is an area of emerging interest and opens up a whole universe of new possibilities for the food industry. Food undergoes a variety of post-harvest and processing-induced modifications that affect its biological and biochemical makeup, so nanotechnology developments in the fields of biology and biochemistry eventually influence the food industry. Ideally, the systems with structural features in the nanometer-length range could affect aspects from food safety to molecular synthesis (Chen et al., 2006).

There are commonly two distinguished forms of nanofood applications: food additives (nano inside) and food packaging (nano outside). Nanoscale food additive, for example, may be used to influence product shelf life, texture, flavor, nutrient composition, or even detect food pathogens and provide functions as food quality indicators. Nanotechnologies in the area of food packaging are mainly considered to increase product shelf life, indicate spoilt ingredients, or generally increase product quality (say, for example, by preventing gas flow across product packaging) (Nickols-Richardson & Piehowski, 2008).

It is a subject of concern that if changing the size of materials can lead to radical, useful properties; can we be sure how size will affect other properties and, mainly, the toxicity of such materials (Weiss et al., 2006). It is likely that the products of nanotechnology intended for food consumption are to be classified as novel products and will be cleared after vigorous testing; there are concerns, though, particularly in the area of food contact materials, that there could be inadvertent release and ingestion of nanoparticles of undetermined toxicity (Tiede et al., 2008). Such concerns need to be addressed because the ultimate success of food nanotechnology products depends on consumer acceptance.

Similarly, there are a number of classes of nanoparticles used or proposed for use in cosmetic applications. Applications of nanotechnology can be found in many cosmetic products, such as moisturizers, hair care products, make up, and sunscreen. The application of nanomaterials in cosmetic products has been the subject of discussion in the media, within research groups, and among policy makers during the past few years. There is a lack of agreement among researchers on whether nanomaterials are safe for dermal use, and toxicity is the main issue. Currently, there are two main uses of nanotechnology in cosmetics. The first is the use of nanoparticles as UV-filters. The second use is nanotechnology for delivery; liposomes and niosomes are used in the cosmetic industry as delivery vehicles.

This chapter will review some of the nanotechnologies used in food and cosmetic industries and focus on the opportunities and challenges in these areas.

NANOTECHNOLOGY IN FOOD APPLICATIONS

POTENTIAL FOOD APPLICATIONS

The potential for food nanotechnology appears unlimited. All aspects of the food industry, from ingredients to packaging to food analysis, are researching viable nanotechnology applications. All aspects of the food industry, from food ingredient to food packaging to food analysis, are resulting in numerous promising applications for improved food production, processing, packaging, and storage (Graveland-Bikkerand & de Kruif, 2006; Vernikov et al., 2009; Sozer & Kokini, 2009). Identification of bacteria and quality monitoring using biosensors, improved food packaging systems, and nanoencapsulation of bioactive food components are a few examples of emerging applications of nanotechnology for the food industry. Carbon nanotubes can be used in food packaging to improve its mechanical properties. Carbon nanotubes exhibited antimicrobial effects and Escherichia coli bacteria died on immediate direct contact with aggregates of carbon nanotubes; in fact, the long, thin nanotubes puncture E.coli cells, causing cellular damage (Kang et al., 2007). For the detection of carcinogenic pathogens new tools and techniques are being developed using nanotechnology, and biosensors are being developed for improved and contamination-free food (Shrivastava & Dash, 2009).

Some achievements have applications in many sectors of the food industry, such as harnessing the casein micelle, a natural nanovehicle of nutrients, for delivering hydrophobic bioactives; a unique nanotube based on enzymatic hydrolysis of α-lactalbumin; a novel encapsulation technique based on cold-set gelation for delivering heat-sensitive bioactives; developments and use of Maillard reaction-based conjugates of milk proteins and polysaccharides for encapsulating bioactives; introduction of β-lactoglobulin-pectin nanocomplexes for delivery of hydrophobic nutraceuticals in clear acid beverages; development of core-shell nanoparticles made of heat-aggregated β-lactoglobulin, nanocoated by beet-pectin for bioactive delivery; application of milk proteins for drug targeting, including lactoferrin or bovine serum albumin conjugated nanoparticles for effective in vivo drug delivery across the blood–brain barrier; beta casein nanoparticles for targeting gastric cancer; fatty acid-coated bovine serum albumin nanoparticles for intestinal delivery; and Maillard conjugates of casein and resistant starch for targeting of colon (Liveny, 2010). Nanocharcoal^® adsorbent is used for discoloration of food products (Augustin & Hemar, 2009).

In the food industry, several novel applications of nanotechnology have become apparent, including the use of nanoparticles such as liposomes, micelles, nanoemulsions, and biopolymeric nanoparticles.

NANODISPERSIONS AND NANOCAPSULES.

Nanodispersions and nanocapsules are ideal for delivery of functional ingredients in food. Functional ingredients such as vitamins, antimicrobials, antioxidants, preservatives, and food flavor come in various molecular and physical forms, and functional ingredients are part of the delivery system. A delivery system has numerous functions: the first one is to transport a functional ingredient to its desired site, other functions include protecting an ingredient from chemical or biological degradation, such as oxidation, and controlling the rate of release of functional ingredients under specific environmental conditions.

NANOEMULSION.

A nanoemulsion is an emulsion in which the diameters of the dispersed droplets measure <500 nm, encapsulate functional ingredients within their droplets, and minimize the chemical degradation (McClements & Decker, 2000). Different type of nanoemulsions, such as nanostructures multiple emulsions or nanostructures multilayer emulsions, offer multiple encapsulating abilities from a single delivery system carrying multiple functional components. In such structures, a functional component could be released in response to a specific environmental effect. Nanoemulsions have recently received a lot of attention from the food industry due to their high clarity. These enable the addition of nanoemulsified bioactives and flavors to a beverage without a change in product appearance. Solid-lipid nanoparticles are formed by controlled crystallization of food nanoemulsions and have been reported for delivery of bioactives (Weiss et al., 2006; Weiss et al., 2008). The major advantages of solid-lipid nanoparticles include large-scale production without using organic solvents, high concentration of functional compounds in the system, long term stability, and the ability to be spray-dried into powder form.

NANOENCAPSULATION.

Nanoencapsulation is defined as a technology to pack substances in miniature, make use of techniques, such as nanocomposite, nanoemulsification, and nanoestructuration, and provide final product functionality that includes controlled release. Nanoencapsulation techniques help in the protection of bioactive compounds, such as vitamins, antioxidants, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates, for the production of functional foods with better functionality and stab...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• PREFACE
• Chapter 1: Nanotechnology: Emerging Interest, Opportunities, and Challenges
• Chapter 2: Surface Active Lipids as Encapsulation Agents and Delivery Vehicles
• Chapter 3: Milk Phospholipids: A Nanocarrier System for Delivery of Bioactive Compounds
• Chapter 4: MARINE PHOSPHOLIPID LIPOSOMES
• Chapter 5: Formulation of Lipid Micro/Nanodispersion Systems
• Chapter 6: Self-emulsifying Delivery Systems and Lipid Transport
• Chapter 7: APPLICATIONS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY IN PHARMACEUTICAL DEVELOPMENT
• Chapter 8: Lipid Nano-Vehicles Based on Lyotropic Liquid Crystals as Drug Delivery Vehicles
• Chapter 9: LIPID NANOPARTICULATE DRUG DELIVERY AND NANOMEDICINE
• CONTRIBUTORS
• INDEX