Introducing Electrospinning as a New Approach in Food and Nutraceuticals Industry

Structured polymer fibres with a diameter of about several micrometers to a few nanometres have attracted considerable attention in various scientific fields. Among the various methods applied to produce the fibre, electrospinning is proposed as one of the novel techniques. In this method, the non-woven structures are produced by applying electrical field to the polymer solution and due to the solvent evaporation. In the electrospraying method (as a branch of the electrospinning technique), the manufacturing process of the fibre production shifts to the production of capsules and thus conditions are provided for other varied applications of this technique. The electrospun fibres are applied in the processes such as filtration, tissue engineering, drug and nutraceutical targeted delivery as well as reinforcement of composite systems. In this comprehensive paper, relying on the experiences of the author, the introduction of electrospinning, the method of its implementation, and its potential applications in the food industry as well as the prospect of this technique in the industry will be discussed. Indeed, the entrances of this new approach to the food industry can induce significant alterations in this area of science.