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Abstract: Food allergy is one of the world's most serious health problems, which needs new and safer approaches to resolve it. The rapid progress of nanotechnology to tackle the problem of food allergen has generated a new hope. Nanoparticles can be used as a unique system to detect allergens. Furthermore, nanotechnology offers allergen-delivery systems based on nanoparticles as potential adjuvants for allergen-specific immunotherapy. In addition, the use of novel adjuvants using nanoparticles provides a harmless and potentially more effective way of treatment for allergic diseases. For therapeutic applications, nanotechnology-based delivery systems provide increased bioavailability and targeted delivery of food allergens. In addition, nano-based allergen-delivery approaches are mainly aimed at devising a novel and promising approach for allergy vaccines. This review discusses the potential role of nanotechnological strategies for detection, drug delivery, and the treatment of allergies.

Aim The main aim of the present study was to develop nanotechnology-based solutions for the management of a fungus, Phytophthora parasitica causing gummosis in citrus. Methods and Results Biogenic copper nanoparticles (CuONPs) were synthesized using two different biocontrol agents, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma viride and characterized using different analytical techniques. Furthermore, in vitro (at the concentrations of 10, 15, 30, 50, 70, 100 and 150 mg/L) and in vivo (at the concentration of 100 mg/L) activities of these nanoparticles were evaluated for their antifungal efficacy against P. parasitica. The results obtained confirmed the synthesis of irregular-shaped CuONPs having a size in the range 40–100 nm in case of P. fluorescens, whereas, spherical CuONPs in the size range 20–80 were recorded in case of T. viride. As far as the in vitro antifungal efficacies of both these CuONPs is concerned, the maximum percent growth inhibition was observed in case of CuONPs synthesized from T. viride compared to CuONPs from P. fluorescens. However, in case of in vivo antifungal efficacies, CuONPs synthesized from T. viride showed the activity significantly higher than the conventionally used Bordeaux mixture. Conclusions It can be concluded that biosynthesized CuONPs can be effectively used as a potential fungicide against P. parasitica. Significance and Impact of the Study The application of nanoparticles having antifungal activities can be used as alternative fungicides to the conventional chemical fungicides. It has the potential to revolutionize the existing management strategies available for plant pathogenic fungi.

The application of nano-fertilizers (NFs) is an emerging research field in agriculture. These are materials in the size range of 1–100 nm that support the nutrition of the plants. It is a novel way to optimize the nutrient supply, either alone or in combination. NFs are an economical alternative to ordinary chemical fertilizers that can increase global food production in a sustainable way. NFs are made up of nutrients and micronutrients and may act as carriers for nutrients. The nanocarriers deliver the nutrients to the right place, reducing the additional amount of active chemicals deposited in the plant, besides a slow release. Although nano-coated materials manage to penetrate through the stomata with a size exclusion limit greater than 10 nm, the nanoparticles appear to be able to make holes and enter the vascular system. This review addresses the potential benefits of NFs to agriculture, synthesis, mode of entry, mechanisms of action, and the fate of nanomaterials in soil. Finally, policy makers will have the bases to regulate the dose, frequency, and time period of NF applications for food production. We suggest formulating the integrated risk management frameworks for the possible applications of NFs in agriculture.

Fungi contain species with a plethora of ways of adapting to life in nature. Consequently, they produce large amounts of diverse biomolecules that can be generated on a large scale and in an affordable manner. This makes fungi an attractive alternative for many biotechnological processes. Ascomycetes and basidiomycetes are the most commonly used fungi for synthesis of metal-containing nanoparticles (NPs). The advantages of NPs created by fungi include the use of non-toxic fungus-produced biochemicals, energy efficiency, ambient temperature, pressure conditions, and the ability to control and tune the crystallinity, shape, and size of the NPs. Furthermore, the presence of biomolecules might serve a dual function as agents in NP formation and also capping that can tailor the (bio)activity of subsequent NPs. This review summarizes and reviews the synthesis of different metal, metal oxide, metal sulfide, and other metal-based NPs mediated by reactive media derived from various species. The phyla ascomycetes and basidiomycetes are presented separately. Moreover, the practical application of NP mycosynthesis, particularly in the fields of biomedicine, catalysis, biosensing, mosquito control, and precision agriculture as nanofertilizers and nanopesticides, has been studied so far. Finally, an outlook is provided, and future recommendations are proposed with an emphasis on the areas where mycosynthesized NPs have greater potential than NPs synthesized using physicochemical approaches. A deeper investigation of the mechanisms of NP formation in fungi-based media is needed, as is a focus on the transfer of NP mycosynthesis from the laboratory to large-scale production and application.

In the 21st century, nanomaterials play an increasingly important role in our lives with applications in many sectors, including agriculture, biomedicine, and biosensors. Over the last two decades, extensive research has been conducted to find ways to synthesise nanoparticles (NPs) via mediation with fungi or fungal extracts. Mycosynthesis can potentially be an energy-efficient, highly adjustable, environmentally benign alternative to conventional physico-chemical procedures. This review investigates the role of metal toxicity in fungi on cell growth and biochemical levels, and how their strategies of resistance, i.e., metal chelation, biomineral formation, biosorption, bioaccumulation, compartmentalisation, and efflux of metals from cells, contribute to the synthesis of metal-containing NPs used in different applications, e.g., biomedical, antimicrobial, catalytic, biosensing, and precision agriculture. The role of different synthesis conditions, including that of fungal biomolecules serving as nucleation centres or templates for NP synthesis, reducing agents, or capping agents in the synthesis process, is also discussed. The authors believe that future studies need to focus on the mechanism of NP synthesis, as well as on the influence of such conditions as pH, temperature, biomass, the concentration of the precursors, and volume of the fungal extracts on the efficiency of the mycosynthesis of NPs.

Endophytes are those inhabiting in plants without causing any apparent loss to the host plant. Phoma is a ubiquitously found genus of fungi in soil, water and air. Endophytic Phoma spp. are distributed with high specific diversity, those occur in plants and are mainly responsible for the production of a vast range of secondary metabolites. These secondary metabolites or the bioactive compounds have demonstrated a wide range of activity ranging from antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, algicidal, cytotoxic, antitubercular and plant growth promoting, etc. Bioactive compounds are produced by Phoma herbarum, P. sorghina, P. exigua, P. macrostoma, P. medicaginis, P. betae, P. tropica and others. The present review emphasizes on different species of endophytic Phoma as novel source of bioactive compounds, and their applications in medicine and agriculture are documented.

Introduction COVID-19 pandemic has been declared as a global emergency by the World Health Organization which has mounted global pressure on the healthcare system. The design and development of rapid tests for the precise and early detection of infection are urgently needed to detect the disease and also for bulk screening of infected persons. The traditional drugs moderately control the symptoms, but so far, no specific drug has been discovered. The prime concern is to device novel tools for rapid and precise diagnosis, drug delivery, and effective therapies for coronavirus. In this context, nanotechnology offers novel ways to fight against COVID-19. Area covered This review includes the use of nanomaterials for the control of COVID-19. The tools for diagnosis of coronavirus, nano-based vaccines, and nanoparticles as a drug delivery system for the treatment of virus infection have been discussed. The toxicity issues related to nanoparticles have also been addressed. Expert opinion The research on nanotechnology-based diagnosis, drug delivery, and antiviral therapies is at a preliminary stage. The antiviral nanomedicine therapies are cost-effective and with high quality. Nanoparticles are a promising tool for prevention, diagnosis, antiviral drug delivery, and therapeutics, which may open up new avenues in the treatment of COVID-19.

The ubiquitous nature of lignocellulosic biomass on planet earth and its economic viability attracted a great deal of attention from researchers and becomes foremost feedstock for biofuel production particularly bioethanol. However, due to complexity in structure, its pretreatment is essentially required prior to actual use. In the present study, a promising approach has been proposed through the development of acid-functionalized magnetic nanocatalysts. Two different acid-functionalized magnetic nanocatalysts i.e. alkylsulfonic acid functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4-MNPs-Si-AS) and butylcarboxylic acid functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4-MNPs-Si-BCOOH) were developed and their efficacy was studied in the pretreatment of sugarcane straw at varying concentrations (100, 200, 300, 400, 500 mg/g of straw). The enhanced concentration dependent production of sugar (xylose) was reported in case of both the nanocatalysts. The maximum 17.06 g/L for Fe3O4-MNPs-Si-AS and 15.40 g/L for Fe3O4-MNPs-Si-BCOOH sugar was reported at 500 mg which is comparatively higher than normal acid (H2SO4) (14.63 g/L) and non-treated (0.24 g/L) sugarcane straw. Further, both the nanocatalysts were recovered by applying an external magnetic field and reused for the next two subsequent cycles of pretreatment. It was observed that with every reuse of nanocatalysts the concentration of sugar production was reduced. Moreover, generation of very less amount of toxic inhibitors was reported in the hemicellulosic hydrolyzate obtained in the present study. Considering these facts, it is believed that such nanocatalysts can be used as an effective, eco-friendly and economically viable alternative to the conventional pretreatment agents like mineral acids.

Introduction: Curcumin is an important bioactive compound present in Curcuma longa, and is well known for its bioactivities such as anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antimicrobial, antiparasitic and antioxidant activity. The use of curcumin is limited owing to its poor solubility in water, fast degradation, and low bioavailability. This problem can be solved by using nano-curcumin, which is soluble in water and enhances its activity against various microbial pathogens and parasites.Areas covered: We have reviewed curcumin, curcumin-loaded nanoparticles and their activities against various pathogenic microbes (antifungal, antiviral and antiprotozoal) and parasites, as curcumin has already demonstrated broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. It has also inhibited biofilm formation by various bacteria including Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antimicrobial activity of curcumin can be increased in the presence of light radiation due to its photo-excitation. Further, it has been found that the activity of curcumin nanoparticles is enhanced when used in combination with antibiotics. Finally, we discussed the toxicity and safety issues of curcumin.Expert opinion: Since many microbial pathogens have developed resistance to antibiotics, the combination of curcumin with different nanoparticles will prove to be a boon for their treatment. Moreover, curcumin and curcumin-loaded nanoparticles can also be used against various parasites.

Nanotechnology is widely used in biomedical applications, engineering sciences, and food technology. The application of nanocompounds play a pivotal role in food protection, preservation, and increasing its shelf life. The changing lifestyle, use of pesticides, and biological and/or chemical contaminants present in food directly affect its quality. Metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) are useful to develop products with antimicrobial activity and with the potential to improve shelf life of food and food products. Due to the prevention of microbial growth, MNPs have attracted the attention of researchers. Biopolymers/polymers can be easily combined with different MNPs which act as a vehicle not only for one type of particles but also as a hybrid system that allows a combination of natural compounds with metallic nanocompounds. However, there is a need for risk evaluation to use nanoparticles in food packaging. In this review, we aim to discuss how MNPs incorporated into polymers/biopolymers matrices can be used for food preservation, considering the quality and safety, which are desirable in food technology.

Wound healing is a complex phenomenon particularly owing to the rise in antimicrobial resistance. This has attracted the attention of the scientific community to search for new alternative solutions. Among these, silver being antimicrobial has been used since ancient times. Considering this fact, the main goal of our study was to evaluate the wound-healing ability of mycofabricated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). We have focused on the formulation of silver nanogel for the management of wounds in albino Wistar rats. Mycosynthesized AgNPs from

Engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) have potential application in precision farming and sustainable agriculture. Studies have shown that ENPs enhance the efficiency of the delivery of agrochemicals and thus, have the potential to positively affect the environment, thereby improving the growth and health of the crops. However, the majority of the research on the effects of ENPs on plants and in agricultural applications have been limited to controlled laboratory conditions. These conditions do not fully consider various aspects inherent to the growth of agricultural plants in fields under changing weather and climate. Some of the most investigated ENPs in the agricultural research area are ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs). ZnO NPs have the potential to increase crop production and stress resistance, mainly by the slow release of Zn ions to crops. Unlike ZnO NPs, TiO2 NPs have less well-understood means of action, and are generally considered as plant growth promoter. This mini review presents information compiled for ZnO and TiO2 NPs, their influence on agricultural plants with emphasis on particularly effect on plant growth, nutrient distribution and pollution remediation under field conditions. It is concluded that in order to gain a broader perspective, more field studies are needed, particularly multigeneration studies, to fully understand the effects of the ENPs on agricultural plants’ growth and improvement of their health.

Nanobiotechnology is considered to be one of the fastest emerging fields. It is still a relatively new and exciting area of research with considerable potential for development. Among the inorganic nanomaterials, biogenically synthesized silver nanoparticles (bio-AgNPs) have been frequently used due to their unique physicochemical properties that result not only from their shape and size but also from surface coatings of natural origin. These properties determine antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and many more activities of bio-AgNPs. This review provides the current state of knowledge on the methods and mechanisms of biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles as well as their potential applications in different fields such as medicine, food, agriculture, and industries. Web of Science 11 11 art. no. 2901

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) have been frequently reported from different parts of the world. The current knowledge on distribution of causative agents of urinary infections and antibiotics susceptibility pattern is essentially required. In the present study, total 351 uropathogenic bacteria were isolated; among them most prevalent were Escherichia coli (75%), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (8%), Proteus mirabilis (6%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (4%), Staphylococcus aureus (4%) and Enterococcus faecalis (3%). Most isolates of uropathogenic bacteria showed resistance to amoxicillin and trimethoprim, followed by chloramphenicol and kanamycin. Biosynthesis of sulfur nanoparticles (SNPs) was performed by co-precipitation method using sodium thiosulfate in presence of Catharanthus roseus leaf extract. The characterization data showed that SNPs were polydispersed, spherical in shape with size range of 20-86 nm and having negative zeta potential of -9.24 mV. The potential antibacterial activity was observed for SNPs alone and in combination with antibiotics particularly amoxicillin and trimethoprim against majority of the uropathogens. The synergistic effect yielded increase in fold area with high activity index against tested uropathogens. Based on overall results, it can be recommended to use SNPs for the management of UTI alone and also in combination with antibiotics.

By their geometric dimensions, biosensors can be arranged into a sequence of macro-, micro- and nanodevices. From this perspective, the present chapter considers mainly electrochemical biosensors and biofuel cells; attention is also paid to other, e.g. chemical, types of sensors that can be prototypes of developed biosensor devices. One of the moving forces of miniaturization is finding conditions when the least amount of material is used. Miniature devices can play the role of biosensors and represent electrodes for biofuel systems. Due to the broad use of the enzyme glucose oxidase (GOD), which acts as a model protein or the base of existing devices, we discuss in detail the planar technology of forming a multichannel nanobiochip based on the immobilized GOD. The prospects of micro/nanostructures are primarily determined by their miniature size, the feasibility of easy duplication and—in production—a combined application of molecular electronics technology and biochemical methods of manipulations with biological material.

The depletion of the fossil fuel reserves due to its widespread use is a great challenge. Moreover, the burning of fossil fuels has generated various environmental issues, such as climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. However, the low carbon footprint and renewable nature of biofuels have got considerable attention in the last few decades. The various factors associated with conventional approaches of biofuel production like high input cost, energy-intensive nature, the requirement of specialized equipment etc. create a pressing need to search for novel, most efficient, and economically viable alternative technologies. In this context, nanotechnological solutions can be promising because they have potential to revolutionize the existing biofuel technologies. Various nanomaterials are reported to enhance the biofuel production at low processing cost. However, toxicological concerns of nanomaterials used in biofuel industries can be a threat to environment. This chapter is aimed to discuss the current and significant applications of different nanomaterials in the production of biofuels. The development of innovative technologies dealing with nanotechnological applications in biofuels and different associated challenges have also been discussed.

In order to reduce the environmental pollution caused by synthetic materials, researchers are focusing on the use of biomaterials. The materials used for food packaging are mostly made up of nonbiodegradable materials, which are not capable of meeting the growing demands for sustainability and environmental safety. Therefore numerous biopolymers have been introduced to develop biodegradable food packaging materials. However, biopolymers have drawbacks like poor mechanical, thermal, and barrier properties. Nanotechnology deals with the synthesis and characterization of materials on the nanoscale. Biopolymers are widely used for the synthesis and capping of nanoparticles. Biopolymers like chitosan, gelatin, and alginate are used for the biological synthesis of nanoparticles avoiding use of any toxic chemicals. The introduction of nanotechnology, in this case in the form of nanocomposites in conjugation with biopolymers, improves the mechanical and barrier properties of biopolymers. Biopolymers in association with nanomaterials have potential application in the biomedical field and food industry. Nanoparticle-based biopolymers offer a high degree of biocompatibility and biodegradability in physiological conditions and form an effective material for wound dressings for healing. Biopolymers like gelatin and chitosan conjugated with nanoparticles are extensively used in wound dressing applications. In addition, biopolymers like cellulose and alginate are used for food packaging and food coatings. This chapter provides an overview of biopolymers and biopolymer-based nanofilms, examines different applications of biopolymer-conjugated nanoparticles, and discusses toxicity and safety issues related to the use of nanofilms.

The human population on the planet earth is increasing with a faster pace which is expected to cross the figure of 8 billion very soon. Therefore, feeding such huge population is a major challenge; moreover, various other problems such as improper infrastructure and transport lead to food wastage. In addition, microbial contamination in food results to inferior food quality. Therefore, significant increase in food crop production along with management of food wastage is of great importance to overcome the food crisis. In this context, considering the broad spectrum applications of nanotechnology and nanomaterials in various fields including food industries, it is believed that nanotechnological solutions would be revolutionary as far as various problems of food industries are concerned. Considering these facts, in the present chapter, we have summarized synthesis of different nanomaterials using different microorganisms, and recent developments in the field of nanotechnology and its role in food industries particularly in food processing and food packaging are also discussed.