Authors
Shihu Yang, Yuhan Liang, Xiaoxia Yan, Di Wu, Yingjie Wang, Dai Cheng
Published in
Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.). Volume 242. Issue Pt 3. Pages 119966. Oct 31, 2026. Epub Jul 10, 2026.
Abstract
Food-derived carbon dots (CDs) are a new class of carbon-based nanoparticles generated during the thermal processing of food matrices. These nanomaterials have been extensively studied for their unique fluorescence, good biocompatibility, and tunable surface chemistry in food detection, intelligent packaging, and biomedical applications. However, their nanoscale size and high surface activity have raised safety concerns regarding biological interactions, in vivo biodistribution, and potential long-term health hazards. Although CDs have traditionally been regarded as low-toxicity materials due to their favorable biocompatibility, the potential hidden risks of CDs have not received sufficient attention. CDs exhibit dose-dependent toxicity, not only accumulating in various tissues and organs but also potentially inducing oxidative stress and interfering with cellular metabolic functions. Therefore, this review summarizes the advances in sources, synthetic strategies, and core properties of CDs, with a special focus on in vivo biological interactions, fates, and potential safety challenges. In addition, it is proposed that the standardized detection and risk assessment system should be established to further explore the long-term health effects of CDs under real dietary exposure, thereby ensuring their safety and sustainable application.
PMID:
42680285
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 02 Sep 2026.
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