Technological progress is an important factor for development of human  society, and nanotechnology revolutionizes the scientific world with the possibility of molecular nanoscale changes of the most diverse elements found  in  nature.  This study aims to identify what is nanotechnology, its applicability  in  the productive sectors, especially the food industry and agriculture,  and  the need for precise identification of consequences that chemical  changes  generated  in this process can mean when inserted in the environment  and  put  in  contact with biological environment of the human being.