Recent discoveries have revealed that fluorescent carbon nanodots (CNDs) — nanoscale carbon-based particles with unique optical, chemical, and bioactive properties — are not only synthetic materials but also naturally occurring components of food. Formed during thermal or enzymatic transformations such as Maillard reactions, caramelization, or fermentation, these structures represent a new dimension of nano-nutrition, connecting food chemistry, nanotechnology, and human health.
This Research Topic aims to explore the emerging interface between nanotechnology and nutrition science, focusing on how food-derived and engineered carbon nanostructures influence health, functionality, and safety. It also broadens the discussion toward functional nano-nutrition, encompassing nanomaterials and nanoscale systems designed to improve bioavailability, stability, and physiological efficacy of nutrients and bioactive compounds.
The growing evidence of CNDs’ antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory effects, along with their low toxicity and potential role as nano-carriers or sensors, highlights their transformative potential in both food innovation and preventive health strategies. However, their mechanisms of action, metabolic fate, and safety aspects remain only partially understood — demanding an integrated, interdisciplinary research effort.
This Research Topic invites contributions that address the scientific, technological, clinical, and regulatory perspectives of nano-nutrition, with particular emphasis on carbon nanodots and other food-based nanostructures. We invite submissions on topics including, but not limited to:
· Natural occurrence, synthesis, and characterization of carbon nanodots in foods
· Functional and physiological roles of food-based nanostructures
· Nano-enabled functional foods and dietary supplements
· Analytical and imaging techniques for nano-scale food components
· Clinical studies and quality-of-life effects of nano-nutrition
· Toxicological and safety assessments of dietary nanoparticles
· Regulation, labeling, and consumer perception of nanotechnology in food
By bringing together food scientists, nutritionists, nanotechnologists, and clinicians, this Research Topic seeks to define the scientific foundations and practical implications of carbon nanodots and nano-nutrition — paving the way for safe, effective, and innovative applications in food and health.
Article types and fees
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Brief Research ReportClinical TrialConceptual AnalysisData ReportEditorialFAIR² DataFAIR² DATA Direct SubmissionGeneral CommentaryHypothesis and Theory… View all formats
Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.
Keywords: carbon nanodots, food-derived nanostructures, nano-nutrition, Maillard reaction, food processing–induced nanoparticles, nanotoxicology, food safety and risk assessment, nanoscale imaging
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
