Zinc Oxide Nanomaterials: Green Synthesis, Properties, and Potentials in Active Food Packaging, Edible Coatings, and Nanomedicine Applications

ABSTRACT The increasing demand for sustainable solutions has driven the research of nanomaterials produced by green synthesis routes using biological resources. Compared to chemical or physical synthesis methods, which rely on toxic chemicals and high energy consumption, green synthesis employs extracts from plants, microorganisms (e.g., bacteria and fungi), and seaweeds (e.g., macro‐ and microalgae) as reducing, chelating, precipitating, and stabilizing agents of metal ions for the formation of nanostructures, minimizing the environmental impact and conferring bioactive properties. In this context, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanomaterials obtained by green synthesis processes have been widely investigated due to their advanced biological and functional properties. Thus, this review comprehensively analyzes the synthesis of green ZnO nanomaterials from plant‐, microbe‐, and seaweed‐mediated approaches, highlighting their properties and applications in food and nanomedicine. Biological and functional properties of ZnO, including their antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and photocatalytic activities, have been explored for food preservation in active packaging and edible coatings. Meanwhile, their antimicrobial, anticancer, leishmanicidal, and larvicidal effects have been investigated for applications in drug delivery systems, wound dressings, antimicrobial coatings, and bioimaging agents. However, future research opportunities for large‐scale optimization and regulatory and safety challenges of ZnO nanomaterials should be addressed to enhance their safe industrial application.