April 27/Amherst, Mass./University of Massachusetts Amherst -- Increasingly, food manufacturers want to use nanoparticles to boost nutrition by adding compounds with health benefits such as carotenoids, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins A, D and E, sometimes called "nutraceuticals." The tiny capsules can be designed to preserve nutritional value and freshness, enhance nutrient bioavailability and maintain desirable product quality.
Food scientist David Julian McClements at the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently received a three-year, $400,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to study the design and fabrication of all-natural nanoparticles for delivering oil-soluble vitamins and other nutrients in food products.