Review: biomass-derived nanocellulose for sustainable food systems—from green production to advanced functional applications

Abstract

Biomass-derived nanocellulose offers a versatile platform for sustainable food systems, yet existing reviews have largely addressed feedstock processing, material properties, or individual food applications separately, leaving limited integration across the biomass-to-food-functionality pathway. This review critically examines this continuum, from feedstock diversity and valorization to green nanocellulose production, structure–property–function relationships, and translational food applications. We first classify major biomass sources and compare chemical, enzymatic, mechanical, and emerging green extraction strategies, emphasizing process efficiency and sustainability. We then establish how nanoscale morphology, crystallinity, surface chemistry, and interfacial behavior govern mechanical, barrier, rheological, and functional performance. Applications in edible coatings, nanocellulose–polymer packaging composites, Pickering emulsions, bioactive encapsulation, and antimicrobial and freshness-responsive systems are evaluated from a structure–function perspective. The paper also discusses emerging artificial intelligence/machine learning approaches, life-cycle assessment, and techno-economic considerations as tools for predictive optimization and sustainable scale-up. Finally, food-contact safety, migration, regulatory, reproducibility, and commercialization challenges are critically assessed, highlighting research priorities for translating biomass-derived nanocellulose from laboratory materials into scalable, safe, and multifunctional food technologies. Biomass-derived nanocellulose is transforming sustainable food systems by enabling high-performance packaging, bioactive delivery, and intelligent sensing. This review integrates extraction technologies, structure–property relationships, and commercialization perspectives to accelerate industrial adoption.