Encapsulation of natural/bio-based materials as nano bio-adsorbents for removal of toxic pollutants from food products: A review
Ehsan Shamloo, Ehsan Sadeghi, Mahya Soltani, Kamiar Mahmoudifar, Mansoureh Taghizadeh, Masoumeh Arab, Zohreh Abdi-Moghadam, Alieh Rezagholizade-shirvan, Samira Shokri
Abstract
Lately, there’s been a lot of buzz about using natural and bio-based materials as bio-adsorbents to clean up toxic stuff in food. With everyone getting more concerned about food safety and all the ways things can go wrong, we really need smart, out-of-the-box ideas to handle threats like heavy metals, pesticides, mycotoxins, and other nasty environmental contaminants. This review jumps into the world of bio-adsorbents think things like leftover farm scraps, seaweed, or even microbial gunk and checks out how well they can grab and zap those harmful substances. It also takes a deep dive into the different ways to wrap up these bio-adsorbents for better performance, from physical methods like coacervation and spray-drying to chemical ones like polymerization. It digs into how these methods beef up the stability, reusability, and overall punch of bio-adsorbents. Encapsulation doesn’t just make these materials work betterit also acts like a shield, protecting them from breaking down in tough environments, which is super handy for using them in food. The review also tackles some big questions about safety and biocompatibility, pointing out why it’s crucial to stick to regulations when applying these materials in food settings. After all, making sure they’re non-toxic and effective is key to keeping people safe and pushing for greener practices in food safety. All in all, this review shines a light on why encapsulated bio-based materials are such a game-changer for coming up with green, creative ways to fight food contamination. It paves the way for more research into bio-adsorbents and how they can step up food safety while keeping things sustainable for the planet.