Nanotechnology and Food: Applications, opportunities and challenges

Nanotechnology and Food: Applications, opportunities and challenges

12/12/2014
Nanotechnology and Food
Applications, opportunities and challenges
Carmen I. Moraru
Department of Food Science
Cornell University
NANO: How small?
o Nanomaterial: has one or
more dimensions of the order
of 100 nm or less
o At nanoscale materials have
unique physico-chemical
properties, governed by
quantum mechanics
http://ubershine.com
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12/12/2014
Global market for Nanotech
Government investment in
Nanotechnology by country
http://www.nano.gov
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Nanotechnology enabled products
www.nanotechproject.org
Nanotechnology enabled food
related products
Nutritional
Nano
Supplements
Curcuminoids™
Bionic Joint
Support™
(nanocellulose)
Nano
Resveratrol™
Mucolyxir Nanotech
Nutrients
Allergy Research Group
Food
Products
Canola active oil
Shemen Industries,
Israel
Nanoceuticals™
Slim Shake
Chocolate, “RBC
Life Sciences®
FresherLonger™ Miracle
Food Storage
Sharper Image®
Food
Contact
Surfaces
Bialetti® Aeternum
Saute Pan
Availability/ nano claim for
many of these items can no
longer be verified
http://www.nanotechproject.org
Beer Bottle Plastics,
Voridian USA
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Food applications of Nanotechnology
(Moraru et al., 2003)
Issue addressed: bacterial biofilms
formed by foodborne bacteria (pathogenic, spoilage):
20 µm
Polymicrobic biofilm on
stainless steel surface
(source: CDCP)
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Proposed solution:
Develop food contact surfaces with
nanoscale topography that prevent bacterial
attachment and biofilm formation
Project 65210-20024-11
Nanofabrication method:
Anodization
o
o
o
o
Converts a metal surface into a durable, corrosion resistant oxide
Technology commercially available
Applicable to large areas and 3D parts
Material used: anodic alumina
o Alumina (Al2O3) has GRAS status
o Negatively charged
o Current commercial use
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Small pore size anodic alumina prevents attachment
Nanosmooth
15 nm
25 nm
50 nm
100 nm
E. coli ATCC25922
(48h)
L. innocua
(48h)
(Feng et al., 2014)
Behavior confirmed for several pathogenic strains
Nanosmooth
15 nm
25 nm
50 nm
100 nm
E. coli O157:H7 (48h)
L. monocytogenes (48h)
S. aureus (48h)
(Feng et al., 2014)
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Surface nanoscale topography affects cell
morphology and surface interactions
15 nm
Nanosmooth
25 nm
50 nm
100 nm
(Feng et al., 2014)
E. coli ATCC25922
Nanoscale pores repel bacteria… but how?
- A physico-chemical explanation Force terrain of the “pore top”
vs. the “pore walls”
The top
Separation
distance of
0.5 nm
Additional repelling force
exerted on a cell by the
cylindrical pore walls
x=0
The wall
(Feng et al., 2014)
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Attachment correlates with the repulsion force
across a number of bacterial strains
3.00
L. innocua
2.50
L. monocytogenes
2.00
E. coli O157:H7
Log(cells/µm2)
E. coli K12
1.50
E. coli ATCC 25922
1.00
S. aureus
0.50
0.00
-0.50
-1.00
-1.50
-2.00
0
200
400
600
Fmax (nN)
800
1000
(Feng et al., 2014)
Theoretical predictions can help design
surfaces with enhanced repelling properties
o Repelling properties can be further increased by decreasing pore
diameter and increasing surface porosity of anodic surfaces
E. coli ATCC 25922
L. innocua
(Feng et al., 2014)
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Implications
o The fabrication and use of surfaces able to control
bacterial attachment can help:
o Reduce risk of cross-contamination of bacteria in food
processing plants  reduced foodborne illness
o Extend processing runs in food processing plants 
reduced energy, cleaning costs, and waste water streams
Potential applications
o Food processing and service: equipment parts, utensils,
appliances
o Technology also applicable to biomedical, environmental, or
water processing applications
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Thoughts on the future for
Nanotechnology in food
o Technology offers much promise and opportunities
o Significant progress made for packaging materials and food
contact surfaces with unique properties, development of
detection methods
o Research very active for nanodelivery systems
But…
o Consumers are skeptical, even fearful
o Safety concerns: we do not yet fully understand the
interaction of nanoscale matter with the human body
– very important when nanostructures are ingested
Regulatory aspects of Nanotechnology in foods
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Rorivaldo de Camargo | 'Hive'
Porous alumina imaged with a field emission gun-scanning electron microscope
The third International Festival of NanoArt, Sept. 22, 2014, Iasi, Romania
THANK YOU!
http://online.wsj.com
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