Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Nanotechnology has been provisionally defined as relating to materials, systems,
and processes which operate at a scale of 100 nanometers (nm) or less. The US
National Nanotechnology Initiative has defined nanotechnology as “the under-
standing and control of matter at dimensions of roughly 1-100 nm, where unique
phenomena enable novel applications; encompassing nanoscale science, engineer-
ing and technology, nanotechnology involves imaging, measuring, modeling, and
manipulating matter at nano scale” (Chen et al.
2006a
). In 2009, the European Food
Safety Authority (EFSA) defined nanomaterial as “any form of a material that has
one or more dimensions in the nanoscale” and nanoparticle as “a discrete entity that
has all three dimensions in the nanoscale” (FAO/WHO
2010
).
The food and beverage sector is a global multitrillion dollar industry. Govern-
ment, industry, and science have identified the potential of nanotechnology in the
food and agriculture sectors and are investing significantly in its applications to
food production (FAO/WHO
2010
). Extensive research and development projects
are ongoing with the ultimate goal of gaining competitive advantage and market
share. For an industry where competition is intense and innovation is vital, nano-
technologies have emerged as a potential aid to advances in the production of
improved quality food with functionalized properties. Advances in areas such as
electronics, computing, data storage, communication, and integrated devices have
an indirect impact on the food industries in the areas of food safety, authenticity,
and waste management and its utilization (Cushen et al.
2012
). In the coming near
future, it will not be impossible to achieve food and nutritional security by
implementing nanotechnologies in agricultural and food sector.
The prospect of nanotechnology in agricultural and food industries was first
addressed by a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) road map published in
September 2003 (Joseph and Morrison
2006
). All the major food companies are
constantly looking for ways to improve production efficiency, food quality, food
safety, and food characteristics. A range of nanotechniques and materials are being
developed in an endeavor to claim greater control over food characteristics, to
enhance processing functionalities, such as flavor, texture, speed of processing, heat
tolerance, shelf life, traceability, safety, bioavailability of nutrients, fortification of
nutrients and bioactive ingredients, and cost-effective food analysis with major
focus on functional foods as they offer the ability to control and manipulate the
properties of substances close to molecular level (Chaudhry et al.
2008
; Scrinis and
Lyons
2007
; Weiss et al.
2006
; Momin et al.
2013
). Nanotechnology offers
considerable opportunities to develop innovative products and applications for
agriculture, water treatment, food production, processing, preservation, and pack-
aging. Application of nanotechnology may bring potential benefits to farmers, food
industry, and consumers alike (FAO/WHO
2010
). Nanotechnology, in fact, is a
technology that has the potential to revolutionize the food industry in the coming
future.
