A Review of Analytical Methods for the Identification and Characterization of Nano Delivery Systems in Food

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry Vol. 56; no. 18; pp. 8231 - 8247
• Main Authors: Luykx, Dion M. A. M, Peters, Ruud J. B, van Ruth, Saskia M, Bouwmeester, Hans
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 24.09.2008
• Subjects: Analytical methods; archaesomes; atomic-force microscopy; Biological and medical sciences; characterization techniques; Chemistry Techniques, Analytical - methods; chitosan; Chromatography; desorption electrospray-ionization; detection; Dietary Supplements - analysis; Electrophoresis; encapsulation; field-flow-fractionation; food analysis; food composition; Food industries; Food Industry - methods; food matrix; food products; food safety; food technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; imaging techniques; lipids; Lipids - analysis; liposomes (artificial); literature reviews; Microscopy - methods; mobility-mass-spectrometry; nano delivery systems; Nanoparticles; nanotechnology; Nanotechnology - methods; photon-correlation spectroscopy; Polymers - analysis; Polysaccharides - analysis; protamine-oligonucleotide-nan; proteins; Proteins - analysis; separation techniques; small-angle scattering; solid lipid nanoparticles; Spectrum Analysis; thin-layer-chromatography; toxicity; toxicity testing; Analytical methods; separation techniques; nanoparticles; imaging techniques; characterization techniques; food products; nano delivery systems; Separation; Identification; Review; Imagery; Characterization; Analytical method; Food
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf8013926

Detection and characterization of nano delivery systems is an essential part of understanding the benefits as well as the potential toxicity of these systems in food. This review gives a detailed description of food nano delivery systems based on lipids, proteins, and/or polysaccharides and investigates the current analytical techniques that can be used for the identification and characterization of these delivery systems in food products. The analytical approaches have been subdivided into three groups; separation techniques, imaging techniques, and characterization techniques. The principles of the techniques together with their advantages and drawbacks, and reported applications concerning nano delivery systems, or otherwise related compounds are discussed. The review shows that for a sufficient characterization, the nano delivery systems need to be separated from the food matrix, for which high-performance liquid chromatography or field flow fractionation are the most promising techniques. Subsequently, online photon correlation spectroscopy and mass spectrometry seem to be a convenient combination of techniques to characterize a wide variety of nano delivery systems.