Food Processing

In addition to packaging, nanotechnology is already making an impact on the development of functional or interactive foods, which respond to the body’s requirements and can deliver nutrients more efficiently. Various research groups are also working to develop new “on demand” foods, which will remain dormant in the body and deliver nutrients to cells when needed. A key element in this sector is the development of nanocapsules that can be incorporated into food to deliver nutrients. Other developments in food processing include the addition of nanoparticles to existing foods to enable increased absorption of nutrients. One of the leading bakeries in Western Australia has been successful in incorporating nanocapsules containing tuna fish oil (a source of omega 3 fatty acids) in their top selling product “Tip-Top” Up bread. The microcapsules are designed to break open only when they have reached the stomach, thus avoiding the unpleasant taste of the fish oil.

The Israeli Company Nutralease, utilises Nano-sized Self-assembled Liquid Structures (NSSL) technology to deliver nutrients in nanosized particles to cells. The particles are expanded micelles (hollow spheres made from fats, with an aqueous interior) with a diameter of approximately 30 nm.38 The nutrients or “nutraceuticals” are contained within the aqueous interior. Nutraceuticals that have been incorporated in the carriers include lycopene, beta-carotene, lutein, phytosterols, CoQ10 and DHA/EPA. The Nutralease particles allow these compounds to enter the bloodstream from the gut more easily, thus increasing their bioavailability. The technology has already been adopted and marketed by Shemen Industries to deliver Canola Activa oil, which it claims reduces cholesterol intake into the body by 14%, by competing for bile solubilisation. This technology also has potential applications in the pharmaceutical industry.

A number of chemical companies are researching additives which are easily absorbed by the body and can increase product shelf life. Biodelivery Sciences International have developed nanocochleates, which are 50 nm coiled nanoparticles and can be used to deliver nutrients such as vitamins, lycopene, and omega fatty acids more efficiently to cells, without affecting the colour or taste of food.

Kraft foods have established a consortium of research groups from 15 universities to look into the applications of nanotechnology to produce interactive foods. These will allow the consumer to choose between different flavours and colours. The consortium also has plans to develop smart foods which will release nutrients in response to deficiencies detected by nanosensors, and nanocapsules which will be ingested with food, but remain dormant until activated. All these new developments will make the concept of super foodstuffs a reality, and these are expected to offer many different potential benefits including increased energy, improved cognitive functions, better immune function, and antiaging benefits.

Nanotechnology has already been used in the cosmetics industry to produce transparent creams. Royal BodyCare, a company utilizing nanotechnology in nutritional sciences, has marketed a new product called NanoCeuticals which is a colloid (or emulsion) of particles of less than 5 nm in diameter. The company claims the product will scavenge free radicals, increase hydration and balance the body’s pH.

The company has also developed NanoClustersTM, a nanosize powder combined with nutritional supplements. When consumed, it enhances the absorption of nutrients. Food and Cosmetic Companies are working together to develop new mechanisms to deliver vitamins directly to the skin. For example, Nestlé, which has a 49% stake in L’Oréal, is developing transparent suncreams to deliver vitamin E directly to skin. The aim is to manufacture a cream which is absorbed by the skin and releases Vitamin E slowly, in addition to providing UV protection. Transparent UV-blocking creams are already on the market and L’Oréal expects the cream with added functionality to be marketed soon. Other competitors such as Estée Lauder are manufacturing anti-ageing formulations that make use of nanoparticles.

The US based Oilfresh Corporation has marketed a new nanoceramic product which reduces oil use in restaurants and fast food shops by half. As a result of its large surface area, the product prevents the oxidation and agglomeration of fats in deep fat fryers, thus extending the useful life span of the oil. An additional benefit is that oil heats up more quickly, reducing the energy required for cooking.

Wageningen University in Netherlands has recently established a research centre which will focus its research on the application of nanotechnology in the food industry. The Wageningen BioNT (Bionanotechnology) Centre will concentrate on various topics including: sensing and diagnostics of food quality and safety; encapsulation and delivery of nutrients; micro- and nanodevices for physical and (bio)chemical processing; chemical biology; nanotoxicology; and consumer science and technology assessment.

The German company Aquanova has developed a new technology which combines two active substances for fat reduction and satiety into a single nano-carrier (micelles of average 30 nm diameter), an innovation said to be a new approach to intelligent weight management. Called NovaSOL Sustain, it uses CoQ1O to address fat reduction and alpha-lipoic acid for satiety. The NovaSol technology has also been used to create a vitamin E preparation that does not cloud liquids, called SoluE, and a vitamin C preparation called SoluC. The NovaSOL product can be used to introduce other dietary supplements as it protects contents from stomach acids.

In a different strategy, Unilever is developing low fat ice creams by decreasing the size of emulsion particles that give ice-cream its texture. By doing so it hopes to use up to 90% less of the emulsion and decrease fat content from 16% to about 1%.

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in the US has produced a consumer database of marketed nanotechnology and has so far identified more than 15 items which have a direct relation to the food industry. The list includes nanoceuticals developed by RBC Life Sciences and Canola Activa oil developed by Shemen Industries; the use of silver nanoparticles in refrigerators manufactured by LG Electricals, Samsung and Daewoo to inhibit bacterial growth and eliminate odours; All Spray For Life® which is manufactured by Health Plus International and uses a newly-designed pre-metered, non-aerosol Nanoceautical Delivery System (NDS) for transmucosal administration of dietary supplements, resulting in increased-bioavailability compared with gastrointestinal absorption. A detailed list of products is available on the website.