Starch Nanofibers

The study of starch nanofibers for food applications is a developing area. Starch has been widely used as an ingredient in foods, drugs, cosmetics, adhesives, and others. Some years ago, the use of nanometric materials included the preparation of starch nanofibers to be commonly applied as scaffolds in tissue engineering. They were later used to deliver drugs and, more recently, to carry bioactive compounds and produce bioplastics. Native starch fails to meet the functional and physicochemical characteristics for nanofiber production and has been modified by chemical treatments. However, green technology for starch modification through physical and organocatalytic methods should be analyzed. This chapter revises the use of starch nanofibers to carry, deliver, and reinforce bioplastics in food applications. The development of functional foods to prevent chronic-degenerative diseases is a growing area, where carrying and delivering bioactive compounds is crucial. The pollution associated with the plastic of synthetic polymers (like polyethylene) has led to a growing interest in generating bioplastics with improved mechanical and barrier properties for food packaging.