Nanotechnology is the art and science of moving matter at the atomic or molecular scale (dimensions of 1 to 100 nanometers) to develop new products and processes. A nanometer is 1-billionth of a meter (about 1-millionth the size of a pinhead). This is roughly 10 times the size of an individual atom. A nanometer-sized particle is smaller than a living cell and can be seen only with the most powerful microscopes.
The science of the small has enormous potential. This pioneering scientific field, which has been around for decades, has the potential to significantly influence our economy and to improve our standard of living. It is predicted that nanotech innovations will play an integral role in our everyday lives.
Nanotechnology is poised to have a major impact on science, food systems, agriculture, medicine, and the environment. It is also one of the U.S. government's top research priorities. But does this technology hold promise for our food supply?
"The total societal impact of nanotechnology is expected to be greater than the combined influences that the silicon integrated circuit, medical imaging, computer-aided engineering, and man-made polymers have had in this century," states the Web site of University of California-operated Los Alamos National Laboratory, one of the largest multidisciplinary science institutions in the world. "Nanotechnology will change the nature of almost every human-made object," the Web site declared.
Products emerging from this hot new technology are already available to consumers, including golf clubs, tennis balls, sunscreens, cosmetics, paints, stain- and wrinkle-resistant clothing, dental bonding agents, and pharmaceuticals. As billions of dollars are spent every year on research and development, more nanotechnology-related products are just around the corner.
Some of those new products will be food-related. Numerous food companies are researching nanotechnology applications; and they are counting on these applications to bring safer, more nutritious, more convenient, and more flavorful products to consumers.
"One thing that is clearly new is that nanotechnology makes us think about food structures in a very new and unexpected way," said Dr. Jochen Weiss, an assistant professor of food science at the University of Massachusetts and an active nanotechnology researcher. "It is leading to a much more 'architectural' controlled approach to the design of macromolecular/bulk food systems. The rebuilding of larger structures back up from the nano level is what will really be the focus of the years to come."
Food processing, food packaging, quality assurance, health benefits, disease prevention, and "nano foods" are among the areas related to food and health that are under research.
The application of nanotechnology to food packaging is one of many innovative ideas. For example, although not yet developed, "smart packaging" would use embedded nanosensors that could alert a consumer (by means of a package color change) to contamination or the presence of pathogens such as E.coli, salmonella, or listeria. "Active packaging," which absorbs oxygen, would potentially keep foods fresh longer.
Weiss said that there will be a wealth of new food systems with improved functional properties, low sodium products that still taste salty because of designed interactions with the tongue, and functional food components tailored to the individual consumer's needs.
Other developments envisioned include nutrient delivery systems that use nanocapsules to deliver nutrients and antioxidants to targeted areas of the body at designated times. The benefits might include better product performance and the faster absorption of nutrients. Also under review at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the first nanotechnology-based spray with long-term effectiveness against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. It can be used anywhere from hospitals to restaurants and airplanes.
"I think that the technology will become so common and part of the general pool of available technologies that the name 'nanotechnology' will probably be dropped and it'll be a set of tools available under the more general category of food structure design or food matrix design," said Weiss.
The potential contributions of nanotechnology have brought increased government attention. As a result, the Clinton Administration established the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) in 2000.
NNI provides a multi-agency framework to ensure U.S. leadership in nanotechnology, a goal viewed as essential to improved human health, financial well-being, and national security. It invests in research to further understanding of nanoscale phenomena and facilitates technology transfer.
Among the numerous government agencies participating in the NNI are the Food and Drug Administration, EPA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Also involved are the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Energy, Defense, and Health and Human Services.
NNI was given a big funding boost in December 2003, when President George W. Bush signed into law the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act. The legislation authorized funding for nanotechnology research and development over 4 years, starting in 2005. It also put into law NNI-supported programs and activities.
"Nanotechnology offers the promise of breakthroughs that will revolutionize the way we detect and treat disease, monitor and protect the environment, produce and store energy, and build complex structures as small as an electronic circuit or as large as an airplane," said The White House in a news release. It also said, "Nanotechnology is expected to have a broad and fundamental impact on many sectors of the economy, leading to new products, new businesses, new jobs, and even new industries."
According to the EPA, federal funding for nanotechnology research and development has increased from $116 million in 1997 to just over $1 billion in 2005. Corporations worldwide are also spending billions on research and development.
NSF predicts that the annual global impact of nanotech products will exceed $1 trillion by 2015. NSF also estimates that 2 million workers will be needed to support nanotechnology industries worldwide within 15 years.
Nevertheless, although nanotechnology may hold a lot of promise, consumers have concerns about potential risks.
"I really think that the positive aspects will outweigh potential negative impacts," said Weiss. "So far, there is little evidence that there are negative side effects. Studies are underway in terms of toxicity levels. But with our food-based materials that are all GRAS [generally recognized as safe], I think the risk is not as large as in other areas where nanotechnology is used."
In September 2005, The Project on Emerging Technologies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars released a study entitled Informed Public Perceptions of Nanotechnology and Trust in Government. It revealed that "the public most anticipates major medical breakthroughs from nanotechnology and new consumer products that improve quality of life. People also want nanotechnology to help advance environmental protection...and provide better food and nutrition products."
The report stated that whereas consumers are excited about the potential of nanotechnology, they are also concerned about possible unknown human health and environmental consequences. Said Dr. Jane Macoubrie, the study's author, "Thorough pre-market safety testing was a key way people wanted government and industry to act to improve trust."
To help researchers, policy makers, and the public better understand the opportunities and the risks involved with nanotechnology, two NSF-funded Centers for Nanotechnology in Society (CNS) were established at the University of California-Santa Barbara (UCSB) and Arizona State University. The centers will study emerging perceptions of risk and public concerns about nanotechnology.
"A revolution in science and technology is going on around us, and most people are only somewhat aware of it," said Bruce Bimber, the lead principal investigator at the CNS-UCSB, upon announcing the center in October. "Our job...is to try to understand how these technologies are affecting societies, and to influence the direction of innovation in positive ways."
Nanotechnology could also positively affect society in the field of medicine. It has already shown promising results in cancer research and treatment. For example, liposomes were developed to deliver anti-cancer therapeutics directly to tumors. Other nanotechnology applications have focused on identifying cancer in its earliest stages, delivering improved therapy, and capturing early signals of drug efficacy.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) announced in September 2004 a $144.3 million, 5-year initiative to develop and apply nanotechnology to cancer. And in October 2005, NCI awarded more than $26 million to establish seven Centers of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence that will focus on integrating nanotechnology into basic and applied cancer research.
"Nanotechnology has the potential to radically increase our options for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer," said Andrew von Eschenbach, M.D., NCI director and acting FDA commissioner.
Nanotechnology, with its vast possibilities, will affect almost every aspect of our lives. It's just a matter of time—and size.
How Small is a Nanometer?
- 1,000,000 nanometers = 1 millimeter.
- A sheet of paper is 100,000 nanometers thick.
- The width of a human hair is approximately 80,000 nanometers.
- A nanometer is to 1 inch what 1 inch is to 400 miles.
- A person who is 6-feet tall is 1,830,000,000 nanometers tall.
- A molecule of DNA is 2.5 nanometers wide.
- The letter "I" printed here is about one million nanometers wide.
For More Information:
National Nanotechnology Initiative
http://www.nano.gov
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
http://es.epa.gov/ncer/nano/
U.S. Department of Agriculture
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/nea/technology/technology.html
National Cancer Institute Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer
http://nano.cancer.gov/
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
http://www.fda.gov/nanotechnology
