Society has witnessed an increased consciousness regarding the consumption of nutritious food products and associated commodities that encompass bioactive components (BACs). These BACs have the potential to positively impact human well-being. Regrettably, the enduring stability and bioactivity of BACs in the face of environmental factors undermine their intended and efficacious functionality. Nanoencapsulation is a highly efficient technique utilized to encapsulate environmentally responsive BACs within nano capsules, thereby enhancing their stability and bioavailability. This review investigates the impact of encapsulation on BACs and explores how nanoencapsulation techniques can be utilized in the food sector to preserve and enhance the functional attributes of naturally present food BACs. Hence, in this comprehensive analysis, we have presented the most recent breakthroughs in the development of nanocarriers for the encapsulation of BACs. Additionally, we have discussed the significant applications of these nanocarriers in the realms of functional food and intelligent food packaging. The inherent degradation of naturally derived BFCs, such as carotenoids, vitamins, phenolics, and EOs, occurs during various stages of food processing, storage, and digestion. This degradation leads to a decrease in their potential antioxidant activity and diminishes their positive impact on health promotion. To mitigate the degradation of functional attributes of BFCs and ensure their precise delivery to the intended target site, it is imperative to encapsulate these BFCs. The encapsulation of BFCs derived from agricultural and food sources has demonstrated significant potential as a viable option for the development of innovative functional food products. Nutritional compounds derived from, or part of, natural foods which have proven preventive action and therapeutic benefits against chronic diseases are referred as nutraceuticals. Rising number of chronic diseases and aging population demand development of functional foods and dietary supplements. Although food is rich source of nutrition, the oral bioavailability of nutraceutical compounds is limited by various factors including its liberation from food matrices, instability under GIT, and lower epithelial permeability. Encapsulation of nutraceuticals in suitable matrix at tunable size has evolved as the solution to increase bioavailability and stability of the active compounds. Various techniques available for encapsulation of active compounds are discussed. Encapsulation is proven to enhance temperature, pH, and light stability, solubility, bioaccessibility, and permeability of the nutraceuticals compounds.
