title: Analytical approaches for the characterization and quantification of nanoparticles in food and beverages.
abstract: Estimating consumer exposure to nanomaterials (NMs) in food products and predicting their toxicological properties are necessary steps in the assessment of the risks of this technology. To this end, analytical methods have to be available to detect, characterize and quantify NMs in food and materials related to food, e.g. food packaging and biological samples following metabolization of food. The challenge for the analytical sciences is that the characterization of NMs requires chemical as well as physical information. This article offers a comprehensive analysis of methods available for the detection and characterization of NMs in food and related products. Special attention was paid to the crucial role of sample preparation methods since these have been partially neglected in the scientific literature so far. The currently available instrumental methods are grouped as fractionation, counting and ensemble methods, and their advantages and limitations are discussed. We conclude that much progress has been made over the last 5 years but that many challenges still exist. Future perspectives and priority research needs are pointed out. Graphical Abstract Two possible analytical strategies for the sizing and quantification of Nanoparticles: Asymmetric Flow Field-Flow Fractionation with multiple detectors (allows the determination of true size and mass-based particle size distribution); Single Particle Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (allows the determination of a spherical equivalent diameter of the particle and a number-based particle size distribution).
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 17/A, 43124, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mattarozzi
authors.affiliation: Barilla G. R. F.lli SpA, Advanced Laboratory Research, via Mantova 166, 43122, Parma, Italy. Michele.Suman@barilla.com.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suman
authors.affiliation: RIKILT Wageningen UR - Institute of Food Safety, P.O. Box 230, 6700 AE, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cascio
authors.affiliation: IMEM-CNR, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43124, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Calestani
authors.affiliation: RIKILT Wageningen UR - Institute of Food Safety, P.O. Box 230, 6700 AE, Wageningen, The Netherlands.|BfR - Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weigel
authors.affiliation: RIKILT Wageningen UR - Institute of Food Safety, P.O. Box 230, 6700 AE, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Undas
authors.affiliation: RIKILT Wageningen UR - Institute of Food Safety, P.O. Box 230, 6700 AE, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ruud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peters
mesh_terms: D001628:Beverages / Q000032:analysis*; D002498:Centrifugation / Q000379:methods; D002845:Chromatography / Q000379:methods; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D031521:Fractionation, Field Flow / Q000379:methods; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000032:analysis*; D010316:Particle Size; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance / Q000379:methods
keywords: Analytical methods; Emerging contaminants; Food; Nanomaterials; Nanoparticles; Risk assessment