Overcoming restrictions of bioactive compounds biological effects in food using nanometer-sized structures

Bioactive compounds have enlarged attention due to their functional properties, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, and antimicrobial effects; nevertheless, their use has been limited due to their instability during pharmaceutical and food processing, storage, as well as during the digestion. Biomolecules are present in a complex medium, acting synergistically, and in many cases, they are stabilized by the mixture of components present in their natural environment. However, after isolation, their activity is reduced or even completely lost. In this sense, new technologies can be proposed to reduce or even prevent the loss of functionality of these compounds. Nanotechnology is a promising way to turn bioactive compounds more stable, solving their restrictions enlarging their industrial application. The incorporation into nanocomposites, as well as the production of nanocarriers, can increase the action of these compounds, protect the substances, increases solubility, and also allow more precise targeting of molecules in the body. As with any other process in nanoencapsulation, it is necessary to accurately determine the type of system suitable for encapsulating the bioactive compound, requiring the correct selection of encapsulating materials and the determination of encapsulation technique to improve the preservation of the compounds as well as the evaluation of nanostructures characterization methods to verify the maintenance of the bioactivities of the incorporated compound. The perfect match between biomaterial, method, and bioactive compounds for food applications requires intense studies, further attempts of researches, and innovation. The present work aims to study methods, trends, and gaps of knowledge regarding the incorporation of bioactive compounds in nanostructures to ensure their bioactivity in a critical approach to clarify the use of these compounds.