Conventional fertilizers and pesticides are not sustainable for multiple reasons, including high delivery and usage inefficiency, considerable energy, and water inputs with adverse impact on the agroecosystem. Achieving and maintaining optimal food security is a global task that initiates agricultural approaches to be revolutionized effectively on time, as adversities in climate change, population growth, and loss of arable land may increase. Recent approaches based on nanotechnology may improve in vivo nutrient delivery to ensure the distribution of nutrients precisely, as nanoengineered particles may improve crop growth and productivity. The underlying mechanistic processes are yet to be unlayered because in coming years, the major task may be to develop novel and efficient nutrient uses in agriculture with nutrient use efficiency (NUE) to acquire optimal crop yield with ecological biodiversity, sustainable agricultural production, and agricultural socio-economy. This study highlights the potential of nanofertilizers in agricultural crops for improved plant performance productivity in case subjected to abiotic stress conditions.

There is increasing interest in the development of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) ingredients appropriate for functional food formulations, due to its potential health effects. The present work reported that food proteins including milk and soy proteins can effectively perform as vehicles to remarkably improve water dispersibility, stability and even bioaccessibility of CoQ10. The improvement was mainly due to the formation of protein-CoQ10 complexes, through hydrophobic interactions. The formation of complexes with CoQ10 distinctly changed the physicochemical properties of food protein particles that seemed to be more favorable for their colloidal stability. The complexation remarkably improved the stability against UV exposure or in vitro digestion, and bioaccessibility of CoQ10. In contrast, milk proteins (sodium caseinate and whey protein concentrate) were more appropriate to perform as vehicles for improved bioaccessibility of CoQ10 than soy protein isolate. The findings provide an effective strategy to improve the delivery and bioaccessibility of CoQ10 for the formulation of functional foods enriched with CoQ10.

Gels are viscoelastic systems built up with a liquid phase entrapped in a three-dimensional network, which can behave as carriers for bioactive food ingredients. Many attempts have been made to design gel structures in the water phase (hydrogels, emulsion gels, bigels) or oil phase (organogels, bigels) in order to improve their delivery performances. Hydrogels are originated from proteins or polysaccharides, which are suitable for the delivery of hydrophilic ingredients. Organogels are mainly built up with the self-assembling of gelator molecules in the oil phase, and they offer good carriers for lipophilic ingredients. Emulsion gels and bigels, containing both aqueous and oil domains, can provide accommodations for lipophilic and hydrophilic ingredients simultaneously. Gel structures (e.g. rheology, texture, water holding capacity, swelling ratio) can be modulated by choosing different gelators, modifying gelation techniques, and the involvement of other ingredients (e.g. oils, emulsifiers, minerals, acids), which then alter the diffusion and release of the bioactive ingredients incorporated. Various studies have proved that gel-based delivery systems are able to improve the stability and bioavailability of many bioactive food ingredients. This review provides a state-to-art overview of different gel-based delivery systems, highlighting the significance of structure–functionality relationship, to provide advanced knowledge for the design of novel functional foods.

Global trends show that habitual omega-3 intakes are short of recommended guidelines, particularly among vegetarians and vegans. The potential health implications of low long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCω3PUFA) intakes coupled with concerns about sustainability of fish stocks call for innovative approaches to provide food based solutions to this problem. Nanoemulsions are systems with extremely small droplet sizes that could provide a solution while improving the bioavailability of LCω3PUFA. Oil in water nanoemulsion systems were successfully created using ultrasound with oil loads of up to 50% (w/w) using vegetarian LCω3PUFA oils (flaxseed and algae). Nanoemulsions of 50% (w/w) with mean droplet size measurements of 192 (flaxseed) and 182 nm (algae) using combinations of the emulsifiers Tween 40 and lecithin were prepared.This technique could be applied to create vegetarian LCω3PUFA nanoemulsions suitable for integration into enriched functional food products with the potential to increase LCω3PUFA intake and bioavailability.

Global trends show that habitual omega-3 intakes are short of recommended guidelines, particularly among vegetarians and vegans. The potential health implications of low long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCω3PUFA) intakes coupled with concerns about sustainability of fish stocks call for innovative approaches to provide food based solutions to this problem. Nanoemulsions are systems with extremely small droplet sizes that could provide a solution while improving the bioavailability of LCω3PUFA. Oil in water nanoemulsion systems were successfully created using ultrasound with oil loads of up to 50% (w/w) using vegetarian LCω3PUFA oils (flaxseed and algae). Nanoemulsions of 50% (w/w) with mean droplet size measurements of 192 (flaxseed) and 182 nm (algae) using combinations of the emulsifiers Tween 40 and lecithin were prepared.This technique could be applied to create vegetarian LCω3PUFA nanoemulsions suitable for integration into enriched functional food products with the potential to increase LCω3PUFA intake and bioavailability.

In recent years, the safety of copper in drinking water has increasingly been questioned. Copper speciation is an important factor that affects its bioavailability and toxicity; thus, it is critical to investigate the speciation of copper that is ingested from food and drinking water during in vitro digestion. After digestion, water- and food-derived copper formed 60 ± 4% 0.1–1 kDa and 49 ± 6% 10–1,000 kDa copper complexes, respectively. Under simulated fasting drinking water conditions, up to 90 ± 2% 0.1–1 kDa copper complexes formed. In addition, using ion selective electrode analysis, water-derived copper was detected that contained higher Cu²⁺ concentrations after digestion than those of food-derived copper. These results indicate that water-derived copper forms smaller-sized species and exhibits higher Cu²⁺ concentrations during digestion than those of food-derived copper, thereby highlighting the importance of reassessing the safety limit for copper in drinking water.

Among oral delivery systems, oil in water nano-emulsions (O/W NEs) are of particular interest to improve pharmacokinetics of lipophilic compounds. Recently, we have implemented a successful strategy to improve O/W NEs stability, based on a polymeric coating on an oil core, namely secondary O/W NEs, through the use of pharma grade formulations. However, in the field of food supplements, food grade materials are the top choice since they combine safety and cost effectiveness. Here, we have replaced pharma grade (PG) with food grade (FG) materials in the preparation of the polymer coated O/W NEs, and performed a comparative study between the two formulations to assess the FG one. At the same time, in order to provide formulations with enhanced mucus-adhesion to the intestinal barrier, secondary O/W NEs were prepared by adding thiol groups to chitosan (Ct) via a simple non-covalent procedure based on N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) salification, thus easily implementable to a food supplement formulation. PG and FG formulations, in different materials combinations, were prepared and physico-chemically characterized (DLS, ¹H NMR, ITC, CRYO-TEM) showing similar behaviour. FG formulations (NEs, Ct-NEs and Ct-NAC-NEs) loaded with curcumin were prepared and compared with the free drug in terms of drug bioaccessibility through the INFOGEST protocol confirming improved bioaccessibility. Very interestingly, by comparing mucus-adhesion properties of the two polymeric coatings (Ct and Ct-NAC) within an intestine on chip device able to mimic the complex intestinal functions, a significant enhancement in the mucus-adhesive properties of the proposed novel Ct-NAC-NE formulation was observed with respect to Ct due to the presence of thiol groups. Nonetheless, in-vivo assays are required as a final assessment of the proposed system.

The presence of cadmium (Cd) in food produced in Latin America has been highlighted in recent years. Cadmium can be toxic to humans at low levels, and therefore monitoring its presence in food is relevant for public health. Cadmium concentrations from different sources, such as water, soil, sediment, food, and beverages were examined and discussed to address the non-occupational exposure of the Latin American population to Cd. A literature review was conducted examining publications from 2015 to 2020 and data available in the ScienceDirect and PubMed databases. Twenty-eight papers reported on Cd in water, 49 reported Cd in soil and sediments, and 86 reported on Cd in food. We have identified and discussed the factors affecting the environmental behavior and bioaccumulation of Cd, the main species used in monitoring studies, and the necessity for future research. Brazil and Mexico are the countries that provided the most available information, whereas for some countries in Central America, no information was found. The Cd levels in food examined in these studies (mostly fish and cacao) were generally below the established maximum levels, indicating a low risk. When considering the presence of Cd in food, water, and soil, Cd fractionation and chemical speciation studies are fundamental to understanding which forms of Cd are the most toxic. In turn, studies on bioaccessibility and bioavailability of Cd in food are also needed for more adequate risk assessment, but they are currently scarce within Latin America.

There is growing demand for functional food products enriched with long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCω3PUFA). Nanoemulsions, systems with extremely small droplet sizes have been shown to increase LCω3PUFA bioavailability. However, nanoemulsion creation and processing methods may impact on the oxidative stability of these systems. The present systematic review collates information from studies that evaluated the oxidative stability of LCω3PUFA nanoemulsions suitable for use in functional foods. The systematic search identified seventeen articles published during the last 10 years. Researchers used a range of surfactants and antioxidants to create systems which were evaluated from 7 to 100 days of storage. Nanoemulsions were created using synthetic and natural emulsifiers, with natural sources offering equivalent or increased oxidative stability compared to synthetic sources, which is useful as consumers are demanding natural, cleaner label food products. Equivalent vegetarian sources of LCω3PUFA found in fish oils such as algal oils are promising as they provide direct sources without the need for conversion in the human metabolic pathway. Quillaja saponin is a promising natural emulsifier that can produce nanoemulsion systems with equivalent/increased oxidative stability in comparison to other emulsifiers. Further studies to evaluate the oxidative stability of quillaja saponin nanoemulsions combined with algal sources of LCω3PUFA are warranted.

Determination of selenium compounds in air, soil, water, and food samples is of interest as selenium's bioavailability and toxicity depend on its concentration level. Among analytical approaches, electrochemical sensors are more favorable due to their simplicity, time-saving, cost-effectiveness, and high sensitivity. In this study, we report electrochemical determination and analysis of selenium at the surface of a pencil graphite electrode modified with a sensing composite film composed of acetophenone (2,4-dinitrophenyl)hydrazone, polypyrrole, and copper nanoparticles. To produce durable films, cyclic voltammetry technique, as a facile modification procedure, was used. The electrochemical response of the fabricated modified electrode to selenium was evaluated using cyclic and square wave voltammetry techniques. The modified electrode presented excellent electrocatalytic ability with favorable electrochemical parameters (α = 0.24, log kₛ = 3.27 s⁻¹, and Γ = 3.74 × 10⁻⁷ mmol cm⁻²) for the reduction of selenium in acidic media with optimized pH of 2 and working potential of around −0.85 V (vs. SCE). The scanning electron microscopy images of the modified surfaces proved the formation of aggregates in nanoscale, indicating successful electrodeposition and electro-polymerization processes to modify the pencil graphite surface. This revealed a linear electrochemical response to selenium within the concentration range from 50 nM to 110 nM with the limit of detection (LOD) of 16.58 nM. The analytical application of the new sensor was also examined with respect to its applicability in food samples, such as milk, and water samples, including food wastewater samples, suggesting valid determination of selenium without any side interference.