An insight into the effect of food nanoparticles on the metabolism of intestinal cells

Banana Starch Nanoparticles Disrupt the Integrity of the Intestinal Barrier by Opening Tight Junctions in Mice

The banana-derived starch nanoparticles have been extensively used in food and biomedicine industries, due to their unique physicochemical properties and functional benefits. With their pervasive presence in food, people are significantly exposed to these nanoparticles, raising concerns about their potential health risks and impact on intestinal health. However, there is still limited understanding of the direct interaction between native banana starch nanoparticles (BSNs) and the intestinal systems. Here, it is demonstrated that BSNs can cause tight junctions to loosen, increase intestinal permeability, and disrupt the intestinal barrier. This increased permeability is closely linked to the size of BSNs, with smaller BSNs (d = 60 nm) having a stronger effect on permeation. Furthermore, the disruption of the intestinal barrier integrity caused by BSNs is connected to a reduced amount of tight junction proteins. Mechanistically, BSNs disrupt tight junctions by affecting mitochondrial function and activating myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) signaling pathway. These findings indicate that BSNs have the potential to pose health risks by compromising the integrity of the intestinal barrier, reminding the safety of food biopolymer nanoparticles in living organisms needs to be re-assessed.

Improved bioavailability and antioxidation of β-carotene-loaded biopolymeric nanoparticles stabilized by glycosylated oat protein isolate

The limited bioavailability of β-carotene hinders its potential application in functional foods, despite its excellent antioxidant properties. Protein-based nanoparticles have been widely used for the delivery of β-carotene to overcome this limitation. However, these nanoparticles are susceptible to environmental stress. In this study, we utilized glycosylated oat protein isolate to prepare nanoparticles loaded with β-carotene through the emulsification-evaporation method, aiming to address this challenge. The results showed that β-carotene was embedded into the spherical nanoparticles, exhibiting relatively high encapsulation efficiency (86.21 %) and loading capacity (5.43 %). The stability of the nanoparticles loaded with β-carotene was enhanced in acidic environments and under high ionic strength. The nanoparticles offered protection to β-carotene against gastric digestion and facilitated its controlled release (95.76 % within 6 h) in the small intestine, thereby leading to an improved in vitro bioavailability (65.06 %) of β-carotene. This improvement conferred the benefits on β-carotene nanoparticles to alleviate tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced oxidative stress through the upregulation of heme oxygenase-1 and NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 expression, as well as the promotion of nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2. Our study suggests the potential for the industry application of nanoparticles based on glycosylated proteins to effectively deliver hydrophobic nutrients and enhance their application.

Advances in the Interaction between Food-Derived Nanoparticles and the Intestinal Barrier

The maintenance of the intestinal barrier is crucial for the overall balance of the gut and the organism. Dysfunction of the intestinal barrier is closely associated with intestinal diseases. In recent years, due to the increased presence of nanoparticles (NPs) in the human diet, there has been a growing concern regarding the safety and potential impact of these NPs on gastrointestinal health. The interactions between food-derived NPs and the intestinal barrier are numerous. This review provides an introduction to the structure and function of the intestinal barrier along with a comprehensive summary of the interactions between food NPs and the intestinal barrier. Additionally, we highlight the potential connection between the food NPs-induced dysfunction of the intestinal barrier and inflammatory bowel disease. Finally, we discuss the enhancement of food NPs on the repair of the intestinal barrier damage and the nutrients absorption. This review holds significant importance in furthering our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of food-derived NPs on the intestinal barrier.

Metal Oxide Nanoparticles in Food Packaging and Their Influence on Human Health

It is a matter of common knowledge in the literature that engineered metal oxide nanoparticles have properties that are efficient for the design of innovative food/beverage packages. Although nanopackages have many benefits, there are circumstances when these materials are able to release nanoparticles into the food/beverage matrix. Once dispersed into food, engineered metal oxide nanoparticles travel through the gastrointestinal tract and subsequently enter human cells, where they display various behaviors influencing human health or wellbeing. This review article provides an insight into the antimicrobial mechanisms of metal oxide nanoparticles as essential for their benefits in food/beverage packaging and provides a discussion on the oral route of these nanoparticles from nanopackages to the human body. This contribution also highlights the potential toxicity of metal oxide nanoparticles for human health. The fact that only a small number of studies address the issue of food packaging based on engineered metal oxide nanoparticles should be particularly noted.