Background: Microbial infections have caused significant food safety issues worldwide. To address this challenge, antimicrobial nanoparticles (NPs) have been extensively studied due to their ability to inhibit microbial growth or even induce microbial death. Scope and approach: Achieving high antibacterial efficacy with NPs in food industry settings remains a critical challenge. Recent advances in nanotechnology suggest that self-assembled materials, through precise molecular design and structural control, can form well-organized nanostructures with tailored functionalities, offering a promising strategy to enhance antimicrobial performance. This review covers the antimicrobial mechanisms, preparation methods, and applications of nanoparticles enhanced by self-assembly effects, explores the role of self-assembly in the development of novel antimicrobial nanoparticles. Key findings and conclusions: Self-assembly enables the formation of highly organized and functionally specific structures through precise molecular design and control, thereby enhancing the antimicrobial activity of nanoparticles. They have found extensive applications in fields such as Smart Packaging Systems, Direct Antimicrobial Surface Treatments and Coatings, Targeted Therapeutic Delivery Systems. Moreover, we discuss and predict the future prospects and challenges of self-assembled antibacterial enhanced nanoparticles in the food industry.

Antimicrobial nanoparticles Self-assembly effects Non-covalent bonding Molecular design