Bioavailability and Delivery of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods Using Nanotechnology

Functional foods, with nutraceuticals incorporated, represent an emerging trend in food science and the food industry. To address the problem of low oral bioavailability of nutraceuticals, nanotechnology provides a promising approach to the delivery of nutraceuticals. In this chapter, the current status of functional foods and the challenge of bioavailability are presented. Physiological factors influencing bioavailability are discussed. Then, using curcumin as an example of a nutraceutical with low bioavailability, multiple nanotechnology-based formulations, such as polymer micelles, nanodispersions, nanoemulsions, and nanoparticles, are illustrated to represent the rationale behind their bioavailability-increasing effect. Finally, the current challenges in relation to food-grade encapsulation materials and the toxicity associated with nanoscale formulations are briefly discussed.