Engineering biopolymer nanoparticles for targeted nanomedicine in cancer therapy and food preservation

Cancer therapy and food preservation both face significant challenges related to stability, targeted delivery, safety, and efficiency of active compounds. Biopolymer-based nanoparticles, particularly those derived from chitosan and other carbohydrates, have emerged as versatile platforms capable of addressing these limitations in both biomedical and food systems. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the design, engineering, and surface functionalization of nanoparticles, highlighting their physicochemical properties, formulation strategies, and mechanisms governing stability, encapsulation efficiency, and controlled release. In the biomedical context, these nanocarriers have shown considerable promise for targeted cancer therapy by improving drug bioavailability, enhancing cellular uptake, enabling receptor-mediated targeting, and reducing systemic toxicity. Advances in ligand-mediated surface functionalization, active targeting strategies, and stimuli-responsive delivery systems are discussed, together with current progress in preclinical and clinical development of nanomedicines. At the same time, carbohydrate-based nanoparticles are increasingly explored in food science as delivery systems for bioactive compounds, antimicrobial agents, and natural preservatives, where they contribute to improved food stability, extended shelf life, and protection of sensitive nutrients. By integrating perspectives from nanomedicine and food technology, this review highlights the multifunctional potential of chitosan and carbohydrate-derived nanomaterials as sustainable and biocompatible platforms for controlled delivery in both therapeutic and food preservation applications. Critical challenges related to large-scale production, stability, regulatory considerations, and translational feasibility are also examined. Overall, advances in nanoparticle engineering and surface functionalization may enable the development of next-generation biopolymer nanocarriers with broad applications spanning targeted cancer therapy and innovative food preservation technologies.