The growing demand for increased fresh food shelf life as well as the need of protection\ud against foodborne diseases urged the development of antimicrobial food packaging. Among the\ud most efficient methods, the combination of organic–inorganic, packaging, i.e. polymer embedded\ud metal nanoparticles proved to be highly effective. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), in particular, have\ud antimicrobial, anti-fungi, anti-yeasts and anti-viral activities and can be combined with both nondegradable\ud and edible polymers for active food packaging. The actual application of AgNPs in food\ud packaging is regulated by EU and USA food safety authorities in a prudent way, due to the inability\ud to make conclusive statements on their toxicity. Therefore, their use is evaluated in terms of Ag+\ud migration into the packed food.\ud In this mini review, the most recent studies are reported on protection of meat, fruit and dairy\ud products against the most common food pathogens by AgNPs-doped non-degradable and edible\ud polymers and oils are reported

Drastic climate changes over the years have triggered environmental challenges for wild plants and crops due to fluctuating weather patterns worldwide. This has caused different types of stressors, responsible for a decrease in plant life and biological productivity, with consequent food shortages, especially in areas under threat of desertification. Nanotechnology-based approaches have great potential in mitigating environmental stressors, thus fostering a sustainable agriculture. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) have demonstrated to be biostimulants as well as remedies to both environmental and biotic stresses. Their administration in the early sowing stages, i.e., seed priming, proved to be effective in improving germination rate, seedling and plant growth and in ameliorating the indicators of plants’ well-being. Seed nano-priming acts through several mechanisms such as enhanced nutrients uptake, improved antioxidant properties, ROS accumulation and lipid peroxidation. The target for seed priming by ZnO NPs is mostly crops of large consumption or staple food, in order to meet the increased needs of a growing population and the net drop of global crop frequency, due to climate changes and soil contaminations. The current review focuses on the most recent low-cost, low-sized ZnO NPs employed for seed nano-priming, to alleviate abiotic and biotic stresses, mitigate the negative effects of improper storage and biostimulate plants’ growth and well-being. Taking into account that there is large variability among ZnO NPs and that their chemico-physical properties may play a role in determining the efficacy of nano-priming, for all examined cases, it is reported whether the ZnO NPs are commercial or lab prepared. In the latter cases, the preparation conditions are described, along with structural and morphological characterizations. Under these premises, future perspectives and challenges are discussed in relation to structural properties and the possibility of ZnO NPs engineering.