Food-grade Biopolymers as Platforms for Nutrient Delivery

Biopolymers are sequences of monomers produced by biological systems or synthesized from biological starting materials with at least a significant proportion of components produced by living organisms. Some biopolymers have existed since before the beginning of humanity, but Henry Ford in the 1940s industrialized soy plastic to make various car parts. The increase in biopolymer applications in food dates from the past decade. New lifestyle trends, climate change, and population growth all demand new strategies in the cultivation, processing, and packaging of foods. Food-grade biopolymers as platforms for nutrient delivery offer added value for the conservation and nutritional quality of many food types by increasing yields, extending post-harvest shelf-life, and balancing food distribution at lower costs. This chapter begins with a general description of the classification of the main biopolymers in foods: proteins, polysaccharides, and natural gums. Later, we analyze proteins and polysaccharides as delivery systems of nutrients, mentioning selection criteria, functional properties, and food interaction, as well as examples of applications. The second part addresses dosage forms as nutrient carriers, with a special section on modeling nutrient delivery from biopolymer platforms. Finally, we reflect on future trends and mention new topics of interest and potential targets for research.