Abstract
Mushrooms belonging to basiodmycetes with their high nutritional value and biologically active compounds of medicinal importance can be developed into potential food products. They have been used as a traditional food, and their medicinal property is also appreciable all over the world. Naturally occurring active compounds such as polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, and glucans, etc. are obtained from various sources including plants, animals, bacteria, algae, and fungi. The efficiency of naturally derived compounds in food industry, as well as factors influencing its effectiveness, has been reported by researchers. Mushrooms produce a diversity of biologically active compounds such as proteoglucans, polysaccharides, phenolic compounds, lectins, steroids β-glucan, chitosan, and terpenoids, etc. The bioactive compounds and their concentration differ from species to species. Thus, these bioactives can be effectively used in the fabrication of fungal (mushroom)-derived nanoemulsions applicable for the food industry.
TopNanotechnology In Food Preservation
Nanotechnology has been growing rapidly in global market with the potential application in various sectors such as healthcare, food industry, energy, cosmetics, agriculture and defense. The growth rate of nanotechnology in global market has been estimated to attain 17% for the estimated upcoming year 2017-2024 (Research & Market 2018). The application of nanotechnology in food sector has been principally focused on encapsulation, emulsion, and packaging technologies. Among various nanotechnological food applications, nanoemulsion has found a huge market and application in food industry (Dasgupta, Ranjan & Gandhi, 2019).
In recent world of science and technology, the food market necessitates such techniques, which can be able to manufacture an authentic, convenient, safe and appetizing food product in order to maintain the leadership in food processing and marketing sector. For which, nanotechnology is such a known technique that acquired extensive application in food processing. Nanoparticles are frequently used in the form of food additives thereby shielding the food from contamination, enhancing the taste and lifespan as well. Nanoparticles food additives in form of preservatives, flavoring agent, antimicrobial sensors, encapsulated food components and packaging substances etc. are used to manipulate the nutrient composition and to improve the texture, flavor and its shelf life of food product (Bajpai, Chand, & Chaurasia, 2012). Nanotechnology offers numerous opportunities for the improvement of food products with its expanded applications in food systems such as nutraceuticals, bioactives, functional foods, pharma foods, and so on (Samal et al., 2017). Also it is also used to detect food pathogens to ensure food quality and safety indicators (Bott, Stormer, & Franz, 2014).
In food preservation technology, nanoencapsulation of food components (nano-sized), can be performed to enhance the nutritional value in form of supplements (e.g., proteins vitamins and antioxidants) and additives (e.g., flavor and color) in the form of nanocapsules that can be incorporated in functional foods. This provides diverse taste and off-flavor masking, controlled release, protective barriers, improved bioavailability of many vitamins and their precursors with better delivery and dispensability for water-insoluble ingredients solubilized by a nanoparticle formulation in the form of nanoemulsion (Berekaa, 2015; Prakash et al., 2013) .
Key Terms in this Chapter
Emulsification: The process of diffusion of two immiscible liquid/semisolid in one another is called emulsification without changing the identity of other.
Coalescence: The process of amalgamation of colloidal particles into a larger component due to molecular attraction results in the formation of a film.
Chitosan: It is a chitin derivative made up of linear polysaccharide consists of ß-linked D-glucosamine and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. It has numerous commercial and medical applications.
ß-Glucan: It is carbohydrate derivatives present in the cell of microbes such as fungi, yeasts, lichens, algae, bacteria, and plants having medical advantages.
Carotenoids: A yellow or orange pigment present in plants, algae, and photosynthetic microrganism producing coloration in plants performs photosynthesis also acts as antioxidants.
Mushroom: It is a fleshy, spore bearing having distinctive morphology belongs to kingdom fungi, consisting of a cap and stalk which may be edible or inedible.
Polysaccharides: It is composed of two or more monosaccharide unit bound together by glycosidic linkages found most abundantly in food, e.g., starch, cellulose, etc.