I have chosen nanotechnology as my topic area of choice from the food innovation module.
Nanotechnology is science, technology and engineering that is conducted at the nanoscale. The nanoscale is about 1 to 100 nanometres.
Figure 1: Image of the nanoscale, this illustration shows how small things at the nanoscale really are (nano.gov, 2013).
Nanotechnology has found many potential applications in the area of functional foods by engineering biological molecules toward functions very different from those they have in nature, opening up a whole new area of research and development.
The food industry has been using nanotechnology for a little over a decade now to change the way we grow and maintain our food. Nanotechnology uses in food has many advantages – it can give the producers the power to control how food looks, tastes and even how long it lasts. Listed below are the top ten uses of nanotechnology in foods:
1. Contamination Sensor: This flashes a light to reveal the presence of the bacteria E.coli.
2. Enhanced Nutrient Delivery: Nano-encapsulating improves the solubility of antioxidants, vitamins, healthy omega oils and other neutraceuticals
3. Green Packaging: Nano fibres can be constructed from organic corn or lobster shells and are both antimicrobial and biodegradable.
4. Antimicrobial Packaging: Edible films are produced which incorporate cinnamon, zinc, calcium, oregano oil or other materials that can kill bacteria.
5. Improved Food Storage: Nano- enhanced barriers are used to keep oxygen sensitive foods fresher.
6. Flavour: The tongue can be tricked with bitter blockers or sweet/salty enhancers.
7. Texture: Nano sized crystals and lipids improve certain foods spreadablity and stability.
8. Pesticide Reducti...
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...esity is becoming an epidemic, nanotechnology could be used to create foods which are low in fat, salt and sugar but are still nutritionally dense and taste great. Food is naturally nanostructured material – simply boiling an egg causes many changes; the proteins in the egg white change shape and tangle together to form a solid. We now have the opportunity to study what exactly happens in these nanoscale changes. Nanotechnology gives us many ways to ensure our food is safe and waste is cut down. However, there are many concerns that this form of processing is another way to put more power into the hands of large food companies- yet food has never been safer than it is today largely due to the strict hygiene and sanitation practices these companies follow. As the population continues to grow – so too will the importance of new food technologies like nanotechnology.
Amandi Hiyare: Before forming my research question, I had a discussion with my research project coordinator “Lisa Pope” who told me that the Flinders nanotechnology research team has been developing microbial catheters. Then on Monday I had an interview with Professor Joe Shapter who told me that your team was leading this project. So I was wondering whether you would be able to provide me with some detailed information about this innovation?
The development of synthetic foods is a movement. There are many nutritional issues, both around the world and in this country, and synthetic foods is a viable solution to our problem. People are obese, overweight, diabetic, or malnourished because healthy food is too expensive. Synthetic foods have the ability to change the workforce, restructure our culture toward more productivity, and increase American life quality. By supporting synthetic foods, we are supporting
Nanotechnology is defined as the science of design, synthesis and characterization of matter at the nanoscale, which mesures one billionth of the meter [1,2] On that scale, structures exhibit novel chemical, physical and biological properties and processes, which enables the creation of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), with various characteristics and potential applications. [3] It’s not just that though. Nanotechnology shows the ability to eliminate the gaps among medicine, material engineering and science, computer technology and public policy, creating new clinical and medical approaches to better diagnose, treat and prevent any kind of illness. In fact, it is already moving from simple passive structures
Edible vaccines offer many advantages: they are easy to apply, store, and transport. Plants can grow anywhere with minimal cost and labor. (Joung, 2016) They are easily administered, thus beneficial to vaccinate animals and children. Which in interesting for the meat industry, and veterinary application. (Kim, 2010) Edible vaccines induce mucosal and systemic immune response, whereas
Nanotechnology is defined as “ a technology executed on the scale of less than 100 nanometers, the goal of which is to control individual atoms and molecules, especially to create computer chips and other microscopic devices” (Webster’s Dictionary, 1999). In the early 1970’s an MIT student by the name of K. Eric Drexler came up with the idea of manufacturing things, both biological and non-biological, from the molecular level up. Drexler noticed the amazing talents of natural biology and wondered if humans could mimic biology on a mechanical level,
Chemical advancement in modern science is a contributing factor to “better”, faster, and cheaper food production. Although the ideas of GMO’s (Genetically Modified Organisms) that scientists thrive for are theoretically beneficial, they are corrupting the natural methods for farming and food that consumers will purchase. Nowadays, around 70% of food has a genetically modified ingredient. What is being consumed in mass quantities across the country barely constitutes as food in some instances. A prime example lies in the tomato. Tomatoes are sold year round in grocery markets nationwide....
Just what is it that makes up nanotechnology? Atoms and molocules are so small they invented new word to describe them, “nano”, which is a greek prefix meaning dwarf. “In 1981, the development of a powerful microscope allowed people to visualize the nanoscale on metals. Called the scanning tunneling microscope (STM), the microscope magnifies images of the shapes of atoms on the metal's surface.” (Nelson) Manufacturers create ultrafine nanoparticles from common compounds like carbon, silver and titanium dioxide. They can change strength, produce a desired color or even create an antibacterial effect.
American Journal of Food Technology 6.6 (2011): 441-59. Print. The. Gonzalez, Julina. A. Roel. " "The Philosophy of Food," Edited by David M. Kaplan.
The National Nanotechnology Initiative defines nanotechnology as “science, engineering, and technology conducted at a nanoscale, which is about 1 to 100 nanometers.” In a calculative sense, there are 25,400,000 nanometers in an inch and a sheet of newspaper is about 100,000 nanometers thick. A nanometer is a billionth of a meter, putting that into perspective, if a marble were a nanometer, a meter would be the size of the Earth. Due to the miniscule size of the work of nanotechnology, it can be used throughout all fields of science, including chemistry, biology, physics, materials science and engineering to study and apply microscopic objects and abstractions.
Nanotechnology is the study of extremely small things and is used in the fields of chemistry, biology, physics, materials science, and engineering. Nanotechnology is measured on what is called a nanoscale, also known as a nanometer which is one billionth of a meter. The important 3 steps of nanotechnology are “small size, measured in 100s of nanometers or less, unique properties because of the small size, and control the structure and composition on the nm scale in order to control the properties.” Nanostructure is found in nature, like in animals and plants, it is also found in other things in nature such as minerals and etc.
Nanotechnology is a new idea for the food industry. Nanotechnology is the science, engineering, and technology conducted at the nanoscale which is 1 to 100 nanometer so very small. The knowledge of this revolutionary technology is so low it's sad. Many believe that Nanotechnology should be avoided till we fully understand it, but we should be using it to help us to know it's effects and uses. The biggest issue of Nanotechnology is its entry into the human body. With the size of this technology it's very easy to enter the body. You could have these enter through digestion, inhalation, or even skin absorption. Scientist believe these nano devices and particles may enter
Biotechnology in food and food components currently is significantly relevant to global society and scientific aspects.
New opportunities and challenges of human health are presented by the application of biotechnology to food. Biotechnology helps improve the quality and nutrition of foods consumed by people,this helps their health. Foods produced through biotechnology has been around for more than 15 years but people are still debating about how safe the food is. Biotechnology still have to plays its role by increasing agricultural productivity,especially in light of climate change. I believe that biotechnology is still going to help better th nutritional value of food. It can also assist farmers to increase their productivity so that they can feed their families and many people across the globe. The whole world should be using the food biotechnology because it has the ability to change the world,it can be to end world hunger .
Nowadays, there is great interest in the development of functional foods and beverages containing lipophilic bioactive agents that exhibit health benefits, such as oil-soluble vitamins and nutraceuticals. Microencapsulation has been utilized as a technique for the fortification and controlled release of functional food components such as antioxidants, flavors, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and so on (Estevinho and others 2013; Aguiar and others 2016; Gonçalves and others 2016, 2018). A number of microencapsulation techniques for bioactive compounds such as functional edible oils are applied which can be generally divided into 2 separate categories physical (for example, spray-drying) and chemical (for example, complex coacervation) techniques
Our body is in need for many nutrients in order to maintain a good health and a healthy immune system; some of these nutrients are introduced in food via nanotechnology. There are nano-sized capsules designed to carry omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, enzymes, and providing the solubility of some vitamins that are being used in food ...