Polymeric nanomaterials for the development of sustainable plant food value chains

Apart from achieving sustainable food production, other challenges associated with food systems are shifting dietary trends, need for naturalness, cost effectiveness, and label friendliness. The problems associated with food systems are exacerbated by excessive uses of pesticides, fertilizers, and plastics along with food losses and wastes that occur at different stages of the food value chain. While a range of nanomaterials (NMs) exists, polymeric nanomaterials hold great promise in alleviating many of the challenges of sustainable food systems. In this review, a value chain approach is employed to identify and examine areas where strategic application of polymeric nanomaterials can result in sustainable competitive advantages. In the cropland stage of the plant food value chain, the efficacy of delivery of fertilizers, growth hormones, insecticides, fungicides and herbicides was improved with polymeric NMs. Since many plant foods undergo minimal processing, improved storage of such foods can be achieved via bioactive agent loaded nanoparticles that exhibit insecticidal and antimicrobial activities, precluding the need for synthetic chemicals. It is indicated that edible nanocomposite coatings/films made of polymeric matrix and polymeric nanofiller are not always beneficial. Although edible coatings serve many purposes, a complete replacement of conventional packaging is unlikely. Nanoscaled natural polymers can also be potentially used in the fabrication of sensors based on platforms such as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Nanoscaled polymer derived sensors exhibit enhanced sensitivity and specificity while lowering analysis time and expenses.