Nanotechnology Enhances Food Safety

nanotechnology improves food quality and safety through sensors that detect the safety status of the food and its packaging.

FREMONT, CA: The application of nanotechnology offers investors a broad playing field in the food production industry. It is an emerging interest in the food industry that facilitates advances that allow consumers to access contamination-free food and enhanced functional properties of food products. Researchers are implementing nanotechnology to increase foods' nutrition and organoleptic properties, keeping safety issues and regulatory concerns in check.

Nanotechnology in food science is evolving to accommodate changes in the food industry. The following areas integrate nanotechnology:

Food processing: Researchers are developing nanostructured food ingredients that improve taste, texture, consistency, and shelf life. Increased shelf-life of food materials, so they reduce wastage as they decompose at a later stage. 

Nanotechnology improves food quality and taste. Specific applications change food properties to delay and release certain flavors at certain times to attain the desired balance.

Nutrition: Bioactive compounds like lipids, proteins, vitamins, and carbohydrates are sensitive to the stomach's acid production and enzyme activity. Nutritional elements in the food product are encapsulated to protect them. It improves the delivery of nutrition in daily food to boost health benefits.

Food packaging: Nanotechnology in food packaging is permeable to gas and moisture. Nano-based packaging has barrier properties and antimicrobial films. It senses the presence of pathogens and alerts consumers to the safety status of food.

Nanocomposite and nanolaminates in packaging provide a barrier against extreme thermal and mechanical shock to extend shelf-life and improve food quality. 

Pathogen detection: Biosensors use nanomaterials to detect pathogens in the equipment of processing plants and food products. Nanosensors react to changes in humidity, temperatures, microbial contamination and degradation. Inside immunosensors, sensor chips neutralize antibodies, antigens, and protein molecules and signal target molecules' detection. Nanotechnology also detects pesticides, pathogens, and toxins as a part of the food quality tracking, tracing, and monitoring chain. It also quantifies food constituents and alerts consumers and distributors on food safety status.