Material Components for Nanostructures

Nanosized structures are commonly found in foods and biological products. They may be natural formations, such as casein micelles, or the result of processing, such as nanosized fat globules in homogenized milk. Nanotechnology is not involved in their formation; however, it is involved in their characterization and analysis. Nanoscience is involved in the formation of novel products, for example whey protein nanotubes, which are prepared by a combination of enzymatic and chemical treatments. The induced formation of nanostructures by provision of the correct environmental conditions involves nanoscale science. This chapter presents some of the most frequently used materials in nanoscale developments for foods and bioproducts.