Vegetable nanocellulose in food science: A review

• Potential applications of vegetable nanocellulose in food science are reviewed.
• Nanocellulose has potential use as emulsifier and as functional food ingredient.
• Literature on safety and regulatory issues of nanocellulose in food is also reviewed.
• Standardized methods to characterize the obtained food nanostructure are required.
• These methods are necessary for incorporation of nanocellulose in the food industry.

The use of nanocellulose as a food additive in 1983 was one of the first applications of this plant-derived biopolymer. However, at that time, the product was not commercialized owing to the high energetic cost of the isolation methods used. Currently, improvements in nanocellulose production allow its commercialization. The high surface area and aspect ratio, rheological behavior, water absorption and absence of cytotoxic and genotoxic properties of nanocellulose facilitate its use in food applications. In this review, three different applications were identified: (i) nanocellulose as a stabilizing agent, (ii) nanocellulose as a functional food ingredient and (iii) nanocellulose in food packaging. The last is the most common application of nanocellulose in the food industry. Aiming to demonstrate the potential of nanocellulose as a stabilizing and functional food ingredient, relevant publications on uses of nanocellulose in food are examined, focusing on applications of nanocellulose as a food additive and safety and regulatory issues. Nanocellulose has potential use as a stabilizing agent in food emulsions, as dietary fiber and to reduce the caloric value of food. Nevertheless, validated standards to characterize the produced nanostructure, quantify its properties and evaluate its toxicity are still required to answer safety and regulatory issues to achieve the incorporation of nanocellulose as a commercial product in the food industry.

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