Safety studies of metal oxide nanoparticles used in food industry

Nanotechnology has led us to the exponential use of nanoparticles (NP) grouped into four types: (1) carbon and fullerenes, (2) base metals, (3) dendrimers, and (4) metal composites. All of them are integrated in eight industrial sectors: (a) automotive, (b) aerospace, (c) electronic and computing, (d) energy and environment, (e) food and agriculture, (f) construction, (g) medicine and pharmacy, and (h) personal care. NP effects on different systems depend on the type, properties, and location of the system and appear in the form of aggregates or conglomerates of different sizes so that they may have a number of different effects when in contact with a human being. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate and regulate on the effects that products containing NP have on human health. This is focused on the usage and the security of metal oxide NP in contact with food-related products either intentionally or accidentally.