Bionanocomposites in food packaging applications and their risk assessment for public health

With the advent of nanotechnology, the domain of packaging in the food industry has evolved globally. Bionanocomposites have shown tremendous potential as a packaging material due to their desirable features like efficient barrier function, mechanical strength, thermal stability. Additionally, their application in active and intelligent packaging in the form of antimicrobial agents and nanosensors gives them an edge over conventional materials. However, the use of nanoparticles and nanomaterials in the form of bionancomposites in packaging is tricky and has introduced new challenges and turns in the industry. Even though, nanoscale size-reduction confers advantages, unknown physicochemical changes that may be undesirable pose a big unsolved question on their biosafety and ecological efficiency. In this context, potential risks analysis of the application of bionanocomposites in the food packaging industry is an important though less explored aspect in view of consumer safety and satisfaction. Thus an in-depth analysis of nanoparticles and nanocomposites used in packaging applications cannot be undermined. Migration studies are one of the most significant and indispensable to do an accurate quantification of nanoparticle or nanomaterial released through packaging films and materials into the food matrices and exposure into the biological systems. In the present chapter, the different applications of bionanocomposites in the food packaging industry have been overviewed with a major focus on the migration phenomenon, techniques for analysis, and key concerns associated with their use.