What is Nanotechnology? Potential for the food industry and food ingredients

Graham Bonwick Institute of Food Science & Innovation

University of Chester

Football

(22cm)

Flea

(1mm)

Hair

(80μm)

Red blood cell

(7μm)

Virus

(150nm)

Buckyball

(0.8nm)

60nm 40nm 1nm 20nm 80nm 100nm

1m 10-1m 10-2m 10-3m 10-4m 10-5m 10-6m 10-7m 10-8m 10-9m 10-10m

1mm 1m 1μm 1nm 100nm

DNAstrand

(2nm)

Sunscreen TiO2

(35nm)

APPRECIATING SIZE

1 cm3

1 nm3

1 in 107

80% on surface

Proportion of atoms on the surface

Properties

1 cm3

1 nm3

34 million years

1.1 seconds

Time to dissolve

Properties

34 million years

Time to dissolve sand Natural (Soft) Nanomaterials

• 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

Time to dissolve sand Natural Nanomaterials

• Casein micelles can be used to encapsulate materials. • Enhanced delivery and absorption from the gut. • Controlled / slow release properties.

34 million years

Time to dissolve sand Engineered (Hard) Nanoparticles

Carbon nanotubes Nano silver Nano titanium dioxide

Time to dissolve sand What is Food Nanotechnology?

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

34 million years

Time to dissolve sand Ingredients

Nano salt - salt microspheres (Tate & Lyle Soda-Lo) enhanced dissolution to maximise taste and reduce salt content

Nanotea (Shenzhen Corp) nanomilled ingredients to facilitate the release of tea essence and phytonutrients in solution.

Time to dissolve sand Ingredients

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.

34 million years

Time to dissolve sand Packaging and coatings

• Antimicrobial surfaces • Lighter, thinner barriers • Reduced spoilage • Extended shelf life • Less waste

Time to dissolve sand Smart packaging and coatings

Small molecule binding - AMP

Yan et al, (2005)

Exploitation of RNA or DNA aptamers and their ability to selectively bind molecules or whole microbial cells

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?

Smart packaging and coatings

34 million years

Time to dissolve sand

Media capitalising on the fears of

an ill –informed public?

Another GM food ‘problem’?

Emerging technologies may be key to

meeting the food supply challenges of

the 21st Century (9 billion by 2030).

RISKS?

34 million years

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 distribution within tissues e.g.

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.

RISKS?

34 million years

Time to dissolve sand

Ingredients Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS) –

main area for exploitation and inclusion in food

The Future?

34 million years

Time to dissolve sand

52%

24%

24% $20.4

billion

by 2010

Food Nanotechnology – The Market

Nanofood

$3.2 billion

by 2015

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

Local government LEPs

Chambers of Commerce MDA RIC

Existing Networks Artisan Foods Craft Brewing

Local Food & Drink Producers

NoWFood Centre

Networks

Industry Stakeholders