ELECTROSPUN NANOFIBERS FOR FOOD AND FOOD PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY

In recent years nanofifibers have drawn considerable attention due to their uniquephysicochemical properties and characteristics in comparison with analogous materials (Nurfaizey et al., 2012; Kenry and Lim, 2017). Electrospinning, as a versatile and effificient method for the fabrication of slender and continuous nanofifibers, possesses various advantages in structure and function (Bhushani and Anandharamakrishnan, 2014). Thus electrospun nanofifibers have been applied in many domains including drug delivery, tissue engineering (Liu et al., 2015b; Lu et al., 2016; Xie et al., 2014; Yoo et al., 2009), energy conversion and storage (Cheng et al., 2011; Hwang et al., 2012; Jeong et al., 2014), sensor carriers (Wang et al., 2013; Yang et al., 2010), environmental governance (Deng et al., 2011; Shang et al., 2013; Zhang et al., 2009), and personal protection (Gugliuzza and Drioli, 2013; Sundarrajan and Ramakrishna, 2007). Moreover, cost-effective electrospun nanofifibers also demonstrate huge potential in the food industry in view of these features (Bhushani and Anandharamakrishnan, 2014).

The morphologies and characteristics of electrospun nanofifibers can be modulated by the optimization of technological parameters (high voltage, spinning distance, flflow rate, humidity, and temperature) and aquiform parameters (viscosity coeffificient, electrical conductivity, surface tension, electric inductivity, and pH value) (Mazoochi and Jabbari, 2011; Mendes et al., 2017; Pham et al., 2006). Numerous studies have applied electrospun nanofifibers in food sector research primarily in food packaging, encapsulation and delivery of nutraceuticals, enzyme immobilization, and fifilter aids (Bhushani and Anandharamakrishnan, 2014).

The materials for electrospinning include natural ingredients, synthetic ingredients, and blends of them (Barnes et al., 2007). Natural polymers, including polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids, exhibit low toxicity, eximious biocompatibility, renewability, and controllable degradability in comparison with synthetic polymers (Doyle et al., 2013). In addition to the unique properties of nanomaterials,electrospun biopolymers have advantages in safety and degradability (Mendes et al., 2017). Thus there are broad prospects for the application of electrospun nanofifibers in the fifield of food industry.

In this chapter, the materials for electrospinning, the functionalization of electrospun nanofifibers, and representative results of the application of electrospun nanofifibers in the fifield of food-related research are reviewed.

Paper link：https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/9780323512701/electrospinning-nanofabrication-and-applications