Nanotechnology is an emerging field of science, and nanotechnological concepts have been intensively studied for potential applications in the food industry. Nanoparticles (with dimensions ranging from one to several hundred nanometers) have specific characteristics and better functionality, thanks to their size and other physicochemical properties. Polyphenols are recognized as active compounds that have several putative beneficial properties, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer activity. However, the use of polyphenols as functional food ingredients faces numerous challenges, such as their poor stability, solubility, and bioavailability. These difficulties could be solved relatively easily by the application of encapsulation. The objective of this review is to present the most recent accomplishments in the usage of polyphenol-loaded nanoparticles in food science. Nanoparticles loaded with polyphenols and their applications as active ingredients for improving physicochemical and functional properties of food, or as components of active packaging materials, were critically reviewed. Potential adverse effects of polyphenol-loaded nanomaterials are also discussed.

Herein we describe the antioxidant, antimicrobial, antibiofilm, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing potential of aqueous and polysaccharide extracts from three widely appreciated mushrooms: Agrocybe aegerita, Laetiporus sulphureus and Agaricus bisporus. Moreover, we present their detailed phenolic, polysaccharide and protein profiles and ATR-FTIR spectra. The study found that polysaccharide extracts (PEs) from mushrooms had higher total and β-glucan levels than aqueous extracts (AEs), with A. aegerita showing the highest content. L. sulphureus had a higher total protein content, and A. aegerita AE had the highest phenolic content. Our results indicate that all the tested extracts have high potential regarding their bioactive properties, with A. aegerita being the most promising one. Namely, the antibacterial activity assay showed that the development of the skin-infection-causing agent, Staphylococcus aureus, was inhibited with a minimal inhibitory concentration of 4.00 mg/mL and minimal bactericidal concentration of 8.00 mg/mL, while the results regarding wound healing showed that, over the course of 24 h, the A. aegerita extract actively promoted wound closure in the HaCaT keratinocyte cell line model. The anti-inflammatory activity results clearly showed that when we used S. aureus as an inflammation-inducing agent and the A. aegerita aqueous extract in treatment, IL-6 levels reduced to the level of 4.56 pg/mL. The obtained data suggest that the tested mushroom extracts may serve as a source of bioactive compounds, with potential applications in the cosmeceutical, pharmaceutical and food industries. Furthermore, potential skin preparations carefully crafted with mushroom extract may help restore the skin’s barrier function, decrease the probability of staph infections and minimize skin irritation.