Interaction of Food-Related Nanoparticles with Proteins: Advances in the Formation, Properties and Functions of Protein Corona

Food-related nanoparticles (FNPs) are nanoparticles closely associated with the food industry and human health. Once entering biological environments, they spontaneously adsorb proteins to form a protein corona (PC). PC has double-edged sword functions. On the one hand, the formation of PC confers various properties on FNPs or enhance their properties. PC endows FNPs with detection capabilities, significantly improving the sensitivity and reliability compared with FNPs alone. As carriers for nutrient delivery, PC offers unique advantages. Additionally, it imparts FNPs with distinctive antibacterial properties. FNPs can form a corona with digestive enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract, which allows sustained release of active substances, improves the digestibility of hard-to-digest proteins, and enhance the enzymatic resistance of starch-based matrices. On the other hand, the formation of PC may also cause adverse effects. It may increase the cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, and immune response of FNPs, and, in some cases, affect the delivery efficiency of FNPs as delivery carriers. Therefore, anti-protein adsorption strategies for FNPs are necessary. This review summarizes the formation and influencing factors of PC, elaborates on the applications of PC in the food field, as well as the strategies for inhibiting PC formation, with the aim of promoting the application of PC and FNPs in food.