Nanofood As Weapons Of Mass Destruction

Norma L. Rangel

Nanotechnology in Food Science

image from : http://members.ift.org/NR/rdonlyres/5F641E00-290A-4EB0-93D7-C02171FF5D17/0/1203moraru.pdf

APPLICATIONS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY IN FOOD

Food Packaging- ‘Active’ or ‘intelligent’ packaging

Food Processing: Taste and Texture- For example, nanoparticle emulsions to improve

texture (trickling agents) and reduce fat content Functional Foods

- Nanocapsules enclosing nutrients such as vitamins or Omega 3 fatty acids (‘nanoceuticals’) for release into body when required

Kuzma, JNR 2007

Smart and precision ag

Agriculture

Bio-Energy or Products

Single molecule detection to determine enzyme/substrate interactions (e.g. cellulases in production of ethanol). Materials from biomass

Agrochemical Delivery

Delivery of pesticides, fertilizers, and other agrichemicals more efficiently (e.g. only when needed or for better absorption).

Animal Production

Delivery of growth hormone in a controlled fashion.Identity preservation and tracking.

Animal or Plant Health

Detect animal pathogens, such as foot and mouth disease virus. Detect plant pathogens early.

Animal Medicine

Deliver animal vaccines.

Plant Production

Delivery of DNA to plants towards certain tissues (i.e. targeted genetic engineering).

Food

Sensing Detect chemicals or foodborne pathogens; biodegradable sensors for temperature, moisture history, etc.

Safety Selectively bind and remove chemicals or pathogens.Packaging Prevent or respond to spoilage. Sensing features for

contaminants or pathogens.

Healthy Food Better availability and dispersion of nutrients, nutraceuticals, or additives.

Selected Categories of Nanotechnology Applied to Food and Agriculture

Nanotechnology in the Food Market

Nanotechnology offers considerable opportunities for the development of innovative products and applications for agriculture, water treatment, food production, processing, preservation and packaging

It is expected that nanotechnology-derived food products will be increasingly available to consumers worldwide in the coming years.

Human Health

The impact on human health will depend on whether and how the consumer is exposed to such materials eventually, and whether these materials will behave differently compared to their conventional, larger dimensioned, counterparts .

Assessment of human health risks

As the size of the particles decreases, the specific surface area increases This results in novel features that are determined by the

high surface-to-volume ratio, which may also give rise to altered toxicity profiles.

The effects and interactions of engineered nanomaterials are characterized in the relevant food matrix.

Consider life cycle aspects in the risk assessment of engineered Nanomaterials which may result in indirect human exposure

Steps in Risk Assessment

• Hazard Identification- scientific review

• Specify Dose response- establish upper level

• Intake /Exposure assessment

• Risk characterization- public health impact

• Too little nutrients and too much nutrients – both

are safety issues

• Nutrient risk assessments have to be life stage

specific eg adolescents, lactating.

OUTBREAK HANDLING MECHANISMS, EARLY DETECTION AND TRACEABILITY

Enhance surveillance and build an early warning system.

Equip Central and other state health departments with state of the art technology – Rapidly Diagnose, Track, Communicate, Control and Prevent

Create a national electronic network for rapid finger print comparison.

Improve responses to food borne outbreaks -states and other governmental bodies with expertise and resources should share responsibility for outbreak response.

Establish inter-state governmental food borne outbreak response coordinating group

Impose risk assessment and establish an interagency risk assessment consortium.

OUTBREAK HANDLING MECHANISMS, EARLY DETECTION AND TRACEABILITY

Develop new research methods that are rapid cost effective for presence of food pathogens.

Document emerging pathogen resistance and develop techniques for prevention and control of pathogens.

Improve inspection, compliance

Strict implementation of HACCP wherever necessary (processed foods, meat products). Preventive measures for fresh fruits, juices, milk, milk products and other high risk commodities.

Identify preventive measures to address public health problems associated with produce, eg. Staphycococcus, salmonella in khoa, hepatitis A in frozen strawberries. These measures will be identified by inspection, sampling and analytical methods.

Mandatory Food safety education and licensing of all stake holders, starting from producers to consumers.

FOOD SAFETY AND BIOTERRORISM

The US FDA has listed the following pathogens or pathogen products that could be used in biological warfare:• Smallpox (variola)

• Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis)

• Plague (yersinia pestis)

• Tularemia (Francisella tularensis)

• Brucellosis (Brucella abortus)

• Q fever (Coxiella burnellii)

• Botulism toxin (produced by clostridium botulinun)

• Staphylococcal enterotoxin B

New products to diagnose, counter and treat these public health threats

Creation of civil emergency group to tackle emergencies.

Create awareness among food handlers and follow practices of basic food safety handling

SAFETY CONCERNS FOLLOWING FOOD PROCESSING

Safety of bottled water Water source Piping treatment process and bottling

equipment GMP Packaging Quality control system

Safety of soft drinks Microbial contamination Packaging material Chemicals, additives Equipment used in processing Formation of mutagens / carcinogens like

Nitrosamines in foods and beverages

SAFETY OF BOTANICALS IN TRADITIONAL FOODS

Different types of products fall under the umbrella of “natural products with health benefits”.

Supplements or foods containing high levels of nutrients or other compounds can have effects on presence of other nutrients in adequate amounts. This can occur as a result of

destruction of nutrients reduction of availability of nutrients inference with utilization of nutrients decrease in food intake

SAFETY OF BOTANICALS IN TRADITIONAL FOODS

Traditional foods are considered safe as they have long history of use. However, if they are modified by processing or by any other method their substantial equivalence and nutrient content analysis has to be done.

Method for safe preparation of some plants such as cassava are known in cultures that depend on it as a staple but its introduction into a naïve market place could cause cyanide poisoning.

Canned ackee fruit is prohibited into US until a quality assurance that toxic levels of hypoglycin is not present in product is given

FOOD CONTACT WITH SUBSTANCES

Packaging innovation to ensure food safety as certain components of packing like printing inks, labels, colours, seals can affect food quality.

Innovative packaging like vaccum packaging, controlled atmosphere or modified atmospheric packaging (CAP or MAP). MAP involves sealing package under vaccum or one time gas flushing and sealing. Three types of gases may be used singly or in combination namely nitrogen, carbondioxide and oxygen.

Active Packaging – includes additives capable of scavenging or absorbing oxygen, CO2, ethylene, moisture, odour and flavours. May have powder sachet of iron and calcium hydroxide.

Intelligent Packaging

Provides way to monitor and relay information regarding the status of contents and verifies information. Food packaging manufacturers have developed several innovative intelligent packages that include time, temperature indicators, antitheft and use RFID devices.

Toxicity testing of food packaging materials have to be done in animals as human data are rarely available.

Materials other than plastic

Glass – has been used for many years, may result in leaching of lead.

Ceramics – may result in leaching of heavy metals particularly when in contact with acidic beverages like fruit juices.

Cans – food packed in tin cans with lead soldered seams are a source of anumber of metals, including lead, chromium, tin and cadmium.

Safety assessment of food packaging material requires knowledge of chemical toxicity, migration and technological developments.

Human exposure data can be collected wherever possible

PRODUCTS

Agrifood Nano-Products on Market

Storage of food with Ag antimicrobial Cocoa delivery with little sugar Cooking Oil Quality--nanoceramic Nanoclay barriers to O2 and CO2 Omega-3 bakery products Lycopene BASF Glycerin micelles to remove pesticides Micelles for functional food Geohumus Soil wetting agent PrimoMAXX Syngenta (plant growth

regulator) Several dietary supplements

Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies consumer inventory

www.nanotechproject.org

- nanocapsules with tuna fish oil

- nanocapsules break only in the stomach

Source: Tip Top Bakery, Australia

‘Tip-Top Up’ - Omega 3 Bread

Canola Active Oil

Source: Shemen Industries, Israel

- nanoencapsulation of fortified phytosterols

- reduce cholesterol intake by 14%

Nano Encapsulation

Nano food-packaging film (Bayer Polymer Inc) Nanoclay particle based

Beer Bottle (Nanocor Inc)

Lighter and stronger

Minimizes loss of CO2 from Beer

Nano Composites

Nano Bioluminescence Detection Spray

Source: AgroMicron Ltd.

Nanoengineered luminescent protein emits a visible glow to the surface of Salmonella and E.Coli

Nano-Electronic Tongue

Nano- Electronic Tongue

Quality control for beverages by electronic tongue

Source: Kraft foods

Nano Fungicide Nano Plant Growth Regulator

• Timely released

• Time controlled

• Spatially targeted

• Regulated

• Responsive and

effective Delivery

Source: Syngenta Corporation

Nano Agro- chemicals

• Injectable Nano-chips for Animal Tracking

• Nano-Eugenics - Remotely Regulating Animals

• Nanosensors and Drug Delivery Systems for Animals

• Nano-Bo-Peep for health monitoring of Crops and Animals

• Nanosystems for Identity Preservation and Tracking

Nano Management for Farm Production

CURRENT REGULATION OF NANOTECHNOLOGY IN FOOD

No dedicated EU or US legislation (for food or otherwise)

Indirect regulation of products or processes incorporating nanotechnology, not of nano-technology component itself

Existing ‘precautionary approach’ prior approval food legislation (process/product specific)

FUTURE RESEARCH

Pathogen and Contaminant Detection

Or sensors which can slow decomposition

and detect pathogens before your nose does.

http://64.202.120.86/upload/image/news/stopping-the-bacteria-from-talking/stopping-the-bacteria1-.jpg

Imagine using nanotechnology to create self-healing materials or coatings that can modify agricultural materials or packaging to prevent microbial contamination;

Tracking Crops and

Products

http://nano.foe.org.au/image/view/222

Traceable nanotags and food quality sensors could

Improve food quality, taste and nutritional value

Preserve foods and extend nutritional stability

Food Poisoning

scientists are eager to develop nanosized geotracers that enable users to locate precisely the origin of agricultural products.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-02/ir-tfp020706.php

http://www.braintree.gov.uk/Braintree/environment/food/Food+Poisoning.htm

http://www.nfis.com.au/foodbiz/Dec2005/images/food_cafe420.jpg

In the wake of widespread food poisoning scares in spinach, tomatoes, cilantro, and peppers,

Nanoscience in Molecular and Cell Biology

Develop surfaces that select, reject or bond to molecules based on nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology is making revolutionary changes within cells which will improve agriculture and the food industry in amazing ways.

Develop better soil additives, fertilizers, pesticides, and soil conditioners.

References

FAO/WHO Expert Meeting on the Application of Nanotechnologies in the Food and Agriculture Sectors: Potential Food Safety Implications, Meeting 2009.

Nanotechnologies and Food, Authority of the House of Lords. January 2010. Volume I & II

Regulation of Nanotechnology in Food, Craig Simpson, Attorney, 14 June 2007

Nanotechnology in Agriculture and Food Technology Emerging Issues in Food Safety, Dr Kalpagam Polasa, Ph. D.

Scientist and Dr. B. Sesikeran Nanotechnology for Food, Agricultural, and Biosystems

Industry, Suresh Neethirajan, 2007 Agrifood Nanotechnology: Upstream Assessment of Risk and

Oversight, Prof. Jennifer Kuzma, Center for Science, Technology, and Public Policy Humphrey Institute, University of Minnesota. 2008