Abstract:

Nanotechnology has been widely used in the fields of medicine, physics, chemistry, biology, molecular biology, food and food packaging. This technology is based on the manipulation of the material used at the atomic and molecular scale. Nanomaterial is defined as a natural, incidental or manufactured material containing particles in the size range between 1 nm and 100 nm. It was reported that the total annual quantity of nanomaterials on the global market is at around 11 million tonnes. Application of the nanotechnology into food packaging and food products (especially packaged products) prolongs the shelf life of the product as well as improving its quality. The studies revealed that nanomaterial applied to packaging material improved its mechanical strength and permeability, therefore the packaging material protected the freshness of the product. Benefits of the nanotechnology are promising in the food packaging industry taking account the growing number of people and the estimated food shortage in our developing world.  In the scope of this study, the history of the development of nanotechnology is addressed, the structure of nanomaterials and nanocomposite structures developed from these materials are defined, and the application of nanotechnology to foods and food packagings are reviewed. In this context, the use of silver, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, silicon dioxide, MgO nanoparticles, polimer techonology, an antimicrobial nanocomposite film and nanosensors was explained. Moreover, the effects of nanotechnology applications on health was also discussed. 

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