Nanotechnology - the future of food?

There is a whole lot of future possibilities for nanotechnology in the food sector. The following examples are just a few of many, many ideas which are currently under research:

Nanotechnology in food directly:

- Nanocarrier systems could improve the delivery of nutrients and food supplements

- Nanotechnology could help produce healthier foods (e.g. lower fat, lower salt) by nano encapsulation - without losing taste or texture.

- There could be ingredients with improved properties.

- Smart-aids for processing foods to remove allergens such as peanut protein

- Nanocapsules containing nutrients which they would release when they detect a deficiency in the body.

Here are some ideas what nanotechnology could do for food packaging:

- Smart packages could tell the consumer about the freshness of food.

The food company Kraft together with scientist of the Rutgers University and the University of Connecticut have developed an “electronic tongue”. This is a technology, where nanosensors can detect spoilt food and by releasing of gases change the colour of the packaging. This again will alert the consumer and tell him that the food has begun to spoil.

- Nanoparticles could increase the barrier to oxygen and slow down the degradation of food while it is being stored.

Interactive food:

Nanomaterials are being developed to improve the taste, colour, and texture of foods and would allow you to choose which flavour and colour a food has.

Nanoparticles in our body - is it safe?

The major concearn of those who are against nanofood has to do with what happens to nanoparticles once we ingested them. Research shows, that nanoparticles do not only have different proberties, they also have the ability to access cells via different pathways and may be able to wander around in our body. Jonathan J. Powell, Head of the Biomineral Research Group at the University of Cambridge, has done some research on this topic. He came to the conclusion that we, inhabitants of a western country, have been exposed to nanoparticles throughout evolution. Therefor we have generated strategies to utilize nanoparticles for dietary and physiological benefit. There even are special cells outside our gastrointestinal tract whos job it is to absorb wandering nanoparticles for safe storage. While this might sound as if Powell was giving his approval for nanoparticles in food and food contact material, he stresses the point that he is not. He says that "nanoparticulate structures are neither inherently toxic nor inherently safe: like all molecules these decisions will rest upon molecular structure, biological environment, degree of exposure and host susceptibility."

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896841109001462http://monito91.blogspot.co.at/

Nanotechnology - A Lifesaver

Too many people in this world do not have access to clean drinking water. Here is Engineer Michael Pritchards TED talk about how nanotechnology can solve this problem. He invented the Lifesaver bottle - wich, with the help of a portable nanofilter can make the most filthy water drinkable within seconds.

Nanofood, Law and Regulations

The vast majority of laws implemented on food in the European Union comes directly from the EU themselves. The General Food Law Regulation is the base for Food Laws all over Europe and ensures that everywhere in the EU the same standards are followed. Specific food laws concern novel foods, food enhancers, food supplements, materials in contact with food and labelling. Mostly there are no extra laws for nanofood, since they already have to follow the strict rules set up for all foods and food related products. 

This is with one exception. The law of food additives is the only piece of food law that refers specifically to “nanotechnology”. Usually a food additive is not allowed to be used, unless its safety has been tested and it has been authorised. Once that is done, they are being put on the approved list and can within certain conditions be used within the EU. Concerning nanomaterials this law says that authorisation has to be obtained for nano versions of food additives,irrespective of what’s on the approved list.

There is, however, a special legislation on novel foods, which makes it obligatory for producers to label products containing engineered nanomaterials. In the list of ingredients, those substances must be followed by the word “nano” in brackets. Very recently, in March 2014, the European Parliament objected to a change of the definition of nanomaterials. The change, which would have exempted foods containing additives which might be nanomaterials that are already on the market from being labelled, has been proposed by the European Comission.

The reason, the European Parliament presented for the decision to shut this change down, was for consumer protection. The Parliament sees the different properties nanoscale materials have in comparison to their bulk form as a source of great uncertainty about these compounds’s health and environmental impacts. Because of these uncertainties the Members of Parliament see labelling as a way of giving the consumer a choice until more research is done.  

At the moment all producers have to follow special guidelines for testing engineered nanomaterials before adding them to food products. These guidelines have been published by the EU in 2011 and basically state what kind of approval those materials need to have, what criteria they have to fit and what tests have to be completed before they can be used. Still with all those laws, rules and regulations the European Government still sees this new technology critically. 

http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/foodlaw/index_en.htm

http://corporateeurope.org/agribusiness/2014/03/food-lobby-fights-labelling-nano-ingredients

http://www.food.gov.uk/enforcement/regulation/foodlaw/#.U4we_Pl_trM

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/edinterviews/docs/corporatenanotechnology121003.pdf

http://ec.europa.eu/nanotechnology/pdf/nano_com_en.pdf

http://ec.europa.eu/health/nanotechnology/policy/index_en.htm

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/nanotechnology.htm

http://www.nanoandme.org/regulation/nano-food-and-safety/which-laws/

http://ihcp.jrc.ec.europa.eu/our_activities/nanotechnology/Nano_Food

http://www.nanoandme.org/regulation/nano-food-and-safety/which-laws/

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/nanotechnology.htm

How instant photography works

In this blogpost I am going to tell you how instant photography works. 

Basically, it can be said, that instant film follows the same principles as regular camera film. Patterns of light are captured on a plastic-based film which is covered with a light sensitive silver compound. These light sensitive silvers produce a latent image, which becomes visible during the developing process. The difference to regular camera film is that instant film already contains all the chemicals needed for developing the photograph.

The whole film is organized in layers. All these layers with the chemicals and the light sensitive silver compounds inside are attached to a black base layer. The bottom layers are the three light sensitive layers, sensitive to blue, green and red light respectively, and the developer layers containing the dye couplers. On top of these bottom layers, there lies the reagent layer.The reagent is a mixture of chemicals, which later triggers the chemical reactions. Before a photograph is taken, the reagent layer is empty and the reagent sits in the white frame, separated from the picture to prevent it from developing too early. On top of the reagent layer there are three more layers with chemicals. These are the image layer, the timing layer and the acid layer. All these layers are concealed by clear plastic on the very top. A regular colour instant film, therefore, consists of up to 15 different layers.

While taking an instant photograph, various reactions happen at the different layers of the instant film. Once you press the trigger, the instant film is exposed to light for a short moment, causing the light sensitive layers to react.The photograph then is ejected from the camera. It passes between two stainless steel rollers which spread the reagent evenly over the reagent layer. This is the start for several chemical reactions.

The reagent is a mix of different chemicals causing the other chemicals in the different layers of the instant film to react. First of all, it prevents the light from filtering on to the light sensitive layers below, so they will not react anymore. Secondly, the reagent causes the developer layers to release their dye couplers. The dye couplers then react with the different colour layers and move to the image layer, where the image is captured. On top of the image layer lies the timing layer. Its only purpose is to slow down the reagent on its way to the acid layer, giving the image time to develop. The top layer, the acid layer, clears up the particles in the reagent that prevented the light from filtering through.

When we look at an instant photograph and it seems as if it was developing right there infront of our eyes, what we actually see is just the last step. We only see the acid layer dissolving the last particles, so that the image becomes visible for our eyes.

Nanotechnology used in foods and food contact materials

On the website of the Food Standard Agency of the UK I found an article about “Nanotechnology-enabled foods and food contact materials on the UK market”. This article distinguishes “soft” and “hard” nanomaterials. While “soft” nanomaterials are a natural part of food such as homogenised milk or ricotta cheese, “hard” nanomaterials are the once intentionally added to foods or food contact materials.

On the same page a list was published, depicting the nanomaterials that are permitted to be used in foods or food contact materials in the UK. This is the list, with additional information on which products the Nanomaterials are used in.

Nanomaterial	Related information
Fumed silica	One specific form of E551, silicon dioxide, is a food additive that is authorised for use as an anti-caking agent and a carrier. E551 (including fumed silica) has been approved for many years and it is commonly used in the preparation of a wide range of foods. It is used as a free-flowing agent in various powdered foods, such as coffee creamer or soups. One classic example would be Knorr Pasta Sides.
Nanoclay	The mineral montmorillonite (also called as bentonite) has potential use in a variety of food packaging applications, such as in packaging for fruit juices and dairy products or bottles for beer and carbonated drinks, to provide a better barrier to gases and extend shelf-life. Plastic beer bottles that incorporate a layer of nanoclay are reported to be in use in other countries (for example in the US) but not at present in the UK or the rest of Europe.
Nanosilver	Items such as re-useable food containers are available in the UK (via websites) and function to inhibit the growth of microorganisms. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kinetic-Go-Green-Premium-Nanosilver-Food-Storage-Container-Set-/321345653433?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ad1b18ab9
Titanium nitride	Polymer composites incorporating titanium nitride have been developed to improve the rigidity and strength of food packaging objects. Titanium nitride was evaluated by the European Food Safety Authority in 2008 and has been approved as an additive for use in some food contact plastics since 1 May 2011. The Agency is not aware of any commercial use of this additive.

Should you be more interested in this topic the Wilson Centre of Virginia Tech has started this website as an inventory for nano enabled consumer products. Have a look.

http://www.nanolyse.eu/PublicDocs/Nanolyse_newsletter_Issue%20no%202%20and%203.pdf

https://www.google.at/#q=fumed+silica+E551+used+in+food&start=10

Nanotechnology - Basics

Before we go deeper into the field of Nanofood, here is a short video introducing you to it's "mother" field of studies: Nanotechnology. This video presents shortly, what is so special about particles at a nano size, how and why they change their behaviour, and what scientists are using these special properties for.