Nanoparticles in food. Epigenetic changes induced by nanomaterials and possible impact on health

• Nanotechnology has potential for many important applications including in the food industry.
• Nanoparticles, similarly to other environmental agents, can exert epigenetic effects.
• There is increasing evidence of epigenetic deregulation of gene expression in several human diseases.
• Epigenetic, disease-related consequences of exposure to nanomaterials are poorly understood.
• Understanding these epigenetic effects can help to produce safer nanomaterials and avoid potential health risks.

Disturbed epigenetic mechanisms, which developmentally regulate gene expression via modifications to DNA, histone proteins, and chromatin, have been hypothesized to play a key role in many human diseases. Recently it was shown that engineered nanoparticles (NPs), that already have a wide range of applications in various fields including food production, could dramatically affect epigenetic processes, while their ability to induce diseases remains poorly understood. Besides the obvious benefits of the new technologies, it is critical to assess their health effects before proceeding with industrial production. In this article, after surveying the applications of NPs in food technology, we review recent advances in the understanding of epigenetic pathological effects of NPs, and discuss their possible health impact with the aim of avoiding potential health risks posed by the use of nanomaterials in foods and food-packaging.