Nanoparticles in Food and Agriculture: An Overview of Research Progress, Prospects and Current Knowledge

Food security is increasingly threatened by factors such as population growth, resource depletion, climate change, and unsustainable agricultural practices leading to food loss and waste. Addressing these challenges requires innovative strategies, including enhanced food preservation, functional food development, improving packaging solutions, and rapid pathogen detection. Nanoparticles (NPs), due to their unique physicochemical properties—such as high surface area, reactivity, and antimicrobial activity—offer promising solutions for improving food safety, crop productivity, and sustainability in agriculture. Compared to traditional preservation and packaging methods, NPs provide advantages in antimicrobial protection, active packaging, controlled release systems, and improved mechanical and barrier properties. This review examines the properties, design considerations, and applications of NPs in food and agriculture, highlighting recent research progress, prospects, and potential risks. It also discusses the knowledge gaps, safety concerns, and regulatory challenges, emphasizing the need for further studies to assess toxicity, environmental impact, and risk management frameworks. By providing insights into the potential and challenges of NPs, this review serves as useful resources for researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals, guiding the safe and effective implementation of nanoparticles in food and agriculture.