Nanotechnology- A Novel Approach to Process Fish and Fishery Products

In the context of seafood, Nanotechnology can be meant as the understanding and control of matter at a nanoscale where unique phenomena enable novel applications in fishery industry. Nanomaterials are further defined as substances between 1 and 100 nm in size showing physical, chemical and biological properties that are not found in bulk samples of the fish and fishery products. Applications of nanotechnology have emerged with increasing need of nanoparticle uses in various fields of fishery sciences and fish microbiology, including fish processing, fish and fishery products packaging, functional fish as food development, fish safety, detection of foodborne pathogens, and shelf-life extension of perishable fish and fish products. This review summarizes the potential of nanoparticles for their uses in the fishery industry in order to provide consumers a safe and contamination free fish and to ensure the consumer acceptability of the fish with enhanced functional properties. Aspects of application of nanotechnology in relation to increasing in fish nutrition and organoleptic properties of fishes have also been discussed briefly along with a few insights on safety issues and regulatory concerns on nano-processed food products.