Formulation, Characterization, and Applications of Nanobubbles in Food Processing: A Review

The evolving field of food processing is witnessing the rise of the versatile, multifaceted domain of nanobubble technology, with potential applications spanning food preservation. Nanobubbles, owing to their extremely small size, enhanced surface area, increased mass transfer rates, greater stability, and higher dissolution rates, are highly valued technologies that warrant further exploration to capture their unique benefits. This review highlights the importance of nanobubbles in the field of food processing. It outlines methods for generating nanobubbles, including physical and chemical approaches, with due consideration of the critical elements for their synthesis and characterization. It has significantly underscored the importance of bubble size and stability with key considerations of zeta potential and mass transfer kinetics. Further, the review highlights the methods and scope for employing nanobubbles in food processing and allied sectors. The key understanding of nanobubble formation and its process optimization for improved efficiency is presented. Further, the review presents a roadmap for improved stability and the delivery of anticipated benefits of nanobubble technology by establishing synergy among consumer requirements, operational efficiency, and regulatory requirements.