New Nano-Product Called BioSilicon for Enhancing Foods’ Shelf Life, Traceability, and Nutritional Value

Global bionanotechnology company pSivida Limited is funding a new spinout company called pSiNutria Limited to develop BioSilicon, an ingestible ingredient in food packaging. BioSilicon may be used in food applications to detect pathogens in food, for food tracing, for food preservation, or to detect variations in temperature during food storage. The article says that BioSilicon is particularly attractive for these applications because it is biodegradable, turning into easily digestible silicic acid in the body. The article says that this development is important because greater attention is being focused on foods’ quality and origin because of concerns of bioterrorism and food-borne pathogens. It also says that food manufacturers are interested in extending the shelf life, traceability, and nutritional value of foods while maintaining its flavor. pSivida says that there is potential to introduce some products to the market in a relatively short time period because of the relaxed regulatory environment towards therapeutic products.

Link to Article 

Purdue Researching Nanotechnology for Agricultural Sector

During his visit to the Forth Wayne, Indiana Farm Show, Purdue University president Martin C. Jischke said that nanotechnology and biotechnology research being conducted at Purdue University may produce growth in the agricultural sector. He said that miniature sensors that detect food spoilage and high-nutrient grains may be developed in the near future. The article says that Purdue is interested in forming partnerships with the agriculture industry in order to spur Indiana’s economy.

Link to Article 

Brazil Govt to Open New Agricultural Nanotech Laboratory

The Brazilian government today inaugurated a new federally-owned laboratory exclusively for nanotechnology research in agriculture. The National Laboratory for Agricultural Nanotechnology (LNNA) will be run by Embrapa, a government research institution. The article says that Embrapa scientists have already developed a nanotechnology-based machine that can “taste” acidity, toxicity, and other properties in wine and coffee. The machine will be marketed commercially in 2006. The machine’s developer, Gustavo de Paula said, “Nanotech ultimately helps agriculture cut costs and improve results.” Embrapa says that its research will mostly focus on developing biosensors for chemical analyses, quality control solutions, food tracking, and intelligent packaging.

Link to Article 

Australia’s Agriculture-Related Nanotechnology Projects

This report by the Australian Government outlines some of the Australian nanotechnology projects related to the environment and water-treatment. The report says that Australia’s fast-growing nanotechnology sector is the ideal place for investment in environmental nanotechnology because of “the nation’s natural resource-based industries, water scarcity challenges, experience working across a diverse range of environmental conditions and industries, outstanding science and research base, and proximity to fast-growing Asian markets.” Some examples of environmental nanotechnology products described in the report include: NanoChem Pty Ltd.‘s MesoLite water treatment technology that removes ammonia from waste water and concentrates it into commercial fertilizer; the Cooperative Research Center (CRC) for Microtechnology’s BioSenZ technology that uses nanotechnology-based biosensing to detect chemicals and organic materials in water at a sensitivity of some parts-per-billion; and the CRC for International Food Manufacture and Packaging Science’s cornstarch-based nano-polymer for environmentally-friendly plastic bags.

Link to Article 

Link to NanoChem Pty Ltd.

Link to MesoLite Product Description 

Portable Nano and Micro Sensors Developed For Food Safety

A research project funded by the European Union (EU), called the GoodFood project, is developing portable nanotechnology devices that can detect toxins, pathogens, and chemicals in food on site. Existing methods of detection require food samples to be sent to laboratories, where it can take several days for results. The article says that on site detection would speed up the testing process, allowing for more tests to be conducted, and, thereby, improving the overall safety of food. The device will be based on an existing technology made with probes coated with antibodies that produce a reaction when they come in contact with antibiotics that is detectable by a fluorescent optical biosensor. The article says that antibiotics are currently used by farmers to treat ailing animals, but can be harmful to humans because they create resistance to antibiotic treatments. The article says that, once developed, the electronic device will be able to detect “virtually any pathogen or toxin in produce,” as well as salmonella and listeria bacteria in dairy products. The GoodFood project is also working on a device that uses DNA microchips to detect pathogens in meats and other sensors that can identify pesticides on produce.

Link to Article

Link to GoodFood Project

MinacNed Roadmap for Nanofoods

MinacNed, the Dutch participant in the European network for micro/nano associations, is convening technology providers and food producers to discuss its roadmap for micro- and nanotechnology in food and nutrition, specifically in the areas of sensors and detection systems, emulsions, filtration, and fractioning. The article says that MinacNed’s roadmap features fourteen vectors for developing value-added food and nutrition innovations in the next five years. The article says that most of the collaborations initiated by the roadmap are likely to be international in scope because of the roadmap’s focus on the intersection between the micro/nanotechnology and food sectors. The article says that the roadmap, despite being limited to food applications, also has implications for pharmaceuticals and agriculture.

Link to Article

Smart Ink Nanotechnology For Food Safety

Researchers from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, UK have developed an intelligent ink make with light-sensitive nanoparticles that detect if a food package’s seal has been broken accidentally or by tampering by changing color in the presence of oxygen. The article says that the ink could be used on labels for foods such as milk, meat, and bread to warn consumers that the food is unsafe to eat. The article says that the ink is inexpensive and suitable for use on large quantities of labels.

Link to Article 

Micro and Nanotechnologies for the Rapid Detection of Pesticides and Pathogens in Foods

AZTI-Tecnalia, a non-profit organization based in Spain that specializes in marine and food research, recently presented some of its research on the use of micro- and nanotechnologies for the rapid detection of pesticides and pathogens in foods during the Hispano-French Conference on Micro and Nanotechnologies held in Spain. AZTI-Tecnalia is conducting the research as part of the European Commission’s integrated GOODFOOD project for the development of new micro- and nanotechnology-based food safety and quality tools. AZTI-Tecnalia presented an assessment of a portable sensor prototype that can simultaneously detect Salmonella and Listeria in fish and dairy products at a significantly faster rate than currently possible. It also presented information on the potential opportunities and risks of micro- and nanotechnologies in the food sector, indicating that while applications such as intelligent packaging, antibacterial nanoparticles, and functional foods could offer significant benefits for food safety and quality control, there remains limited information available on the potential human health effects of nanomaterials. AZTI-Tecnalia elaborated that it is developing a rapid toxicological test based on a zebra fish model to evaluate the short and long term effects of nanoscale materials in foodstuffs.

Link to Article 

Link to AZTI-Tecnalia

Link to GOODFOOD 

Nanotechnology and Food Research in Denmark

Denmark’s National Food Institute and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) have joined to establish the new Food-DTU center to facilitate cooperation between food researchers and researchers in fields such as nanotechnology. The National Food Institute currently has two nanomaterials projects. The first focuses on developing and implementing methodologies for the recovery of nanoparticles and for detecting and determining their chemical compositions, sizes, and surface areas. The other is a networking project focused on generating and sharing nanotoxicological information.

Link to Article