What is Nanotechnology?
Potential for the food industry and food ingredients
Graham Bonwick
Institute of Food Science & Innovation
University of Chester
Football
(22cm)
1m
Flea
(1mm)
10-1m
10-2m
1m
100nm
10-3m
Hair
Red blood cell
(80μm)
(7μm)
10-4m
1mm
80nm
60nm
10-5m
Virus
(150nm)
10-6m
10-7m
1μm
100nm
40nm
Buckyball
(0.8nm)
10-8m
10-9m
10-10m
1nm
20nm
1nm
APPRECIATING SIZE
Sunscreen TiO2
(35nm)
DNAstrand
(2nm)
Properties
Proportion of atoms on the surface
1 cm3
1 in 107
1 nm3
80% on surface
Properties
Time to dissolve
1 cm3
34 million years
1 nm3
1.1 seconds
Natural
(Soft)
Nanomaterials
Time to dissolve sand
• Milk contains 80% casein and 20% whey
proteins.
• The phosphoprotein casein is in the form of
micelles.
• Casein molecules are linked by calcium ions and
hydrophobic interactions.
• Kappa-casein molecule tails associate to form a
mesh.
• Colloidal calcium phosphate nanoclusters also
help link smaller sub-micelles together.
34 million years
Natural
Nanomaterials
Time to dissolve sand
34 million years
• Casein micelles can be used to encapsulate materials.
• Enhanced delivery and absorption from the gut.
• Controlled / slow release properties.
Engineered
(Hard)
Nanoparticles
Time to dissolve sand
34 million years
Nano silver
Carbon nanotubes
Nano titanium dioxide
What
is
Food
Nanotechnology?
Time to dissolve sand
Nanotechnology - manipulation of nanosized
materials and the exploitation of their properties
Food Nanotechnology – Application to:
•
•
•
•
Ingredients
Packaging and coatings
Structuring and texturing
Sensors – safety and quality
Ingredients
Time to dissolve sand
Nano salt - salt microspheres
(Tate & Lyle Soda-Lo) enhanced dissolution
to maximise taste and reduce salt content
34 million years
Nanotea (Shenzhen Corp) nanomilled
ingredients to facilitate the release of
tea essence and phytonutrients in
solution.
Ingredients
Time to dissolve sand
Additional applications / current research areas
• Enhanced appearance, flavour intensity or shelf life
• Encapsulation - flavour masking, micro nutrient
delivery and uptake, probiotic survival – ‘Health by
Stealth’, population segment targeted food products.
• Functional ingredients – plant nanoprotein
particulates from processing waste as emulsifiers
• Activation of selected encapsulated ingredients by
the consumer (microwave selective activation) to
obtain the required flavour, colour or nutrients
depending on which ones released.
Packaging
and
coatings
Time to dissolve sand
34 million years
•
•
•
•
•
Antimicrobial surfaces
Lighter, thinner barriers
Reduced spoilage
Extended shelf life
Less waste
Smart
packaging
and
coatings
Time to dissolve sand
Exploitation of RNA or DNA aptamers and their ability to
selectively bind molecules or whole microbial cells
Small molecule binding - AMP
Yan et al, (2005)
Smart
packaging
and
coatings
Time to dissolve sand



Aptamers bind / immobilise food pathogens and
small molecules
Binding causes significant conformational change
Fluorescence quenching as a binding event signal
Smart
packaging
and
coatings
Time to dissolve sand


Quorum sensing (QS) in
microorganisms mediated
by small molecules
A concentration effect –
synchronises gene
expression, triggers
growth phase, virulence
factor production, biofilm
formation etc.
Smart
packaging
and
coatings
Time to dissolve sand


Immobilised aptamers
within packaging
Bind/capture signalling
molecules and inhibit QS –
extend shelf life and inhibit
pathogenicity?
Time to dissolve sand
RISKS?
Media capitalising on the fears of
an ill –informed public?
Another GM food ‘problem’?
34 million years
Emerging technologies may be key to
meeting the food supply challenges of
the 21st Century (9 billion by 2030).
RISKS?
Time to dissolve sand
• Natural (hard) nanomaterials linked to health effects e.g.
asbestos fibres and mesothelioma.
• Recent observations of nanomaterials in tumours (Gatti
et al, 2012).
• No regulation / control of
within tissues e.g.
34distribution
million years
blood brain barrier crossed in rats exposed to nanosilver
in diet (Chaudhry et al 2010).
• Considerable concern where materials are elongated in
one dimension e.g. nanotubes.
The
Future?
Time to dissolve sand
Ingredients Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS) –
main area for exploitation and inclusion in food
34 million years
Food
Nanotechnology
–
The
Market
Time to dissolve sand
$20.4
billion
by 2010
Nanofood
$3.2 billion
by 2015
24%
24%
34
million years
52%
Thanks for your attention!
Food Nanotechnology 2015
16th -17th April, 2015
www.foodnano.org
The North West Food Research
Development Exchange (NowFood)
Regional Cluster Formation
University of Chester
Creation of Regional Cluster
NoWFood
Centre
Local Food & Drink
Producers
Networks
Industry
Stakeholders
Existing Networks
Artisan Foods
Craft Brewing
Local government
LEPs
Chambers of Commerce
MDA
RIC