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