Five Things You Need to Know about Nanofoods

This article explores the coming world of nanofoods, and what types of changes people can expect for the future. A report by the Helmut Kaiser Consultancy predicts that by 2040, nanotechnology will be incorporated into every aspect of food production. Already, newly designed nanostructures are being incorporated into food and changing how food tastes, how it gets absorbed, and how it stays fresh. Nanotechnology will eventually alter how food tastes, by creating nanoparticles that fasten onto taste receptors in the tongue, controlling how we experience individual flavors. Scientists will develop a new class of foods called nutraceuticals that will release substances that are designed to treat illnesses. Nanosensors will monitor the freshness of food, and be able to alert consumers when a food product has gone bad. Other sensors could tell shoppers about their food, such as if a pear was sweet or tart, ripe or crisp, or scan organic food for pesticides, or tell if food was genetically modified. Nanotechnology incorporated into packaging could help keep food fresh, or help prevent food from sticking. Trying to get that last bit of ketchup out of the bottle could be a thing of the past. Despite the prospects for the better, there are reasons to be concerned about the widespread use of nanotechnology in food. According to this article, “…much of the research on nanofoods is conducted behind closed doors at large multinational food and beverage companies, and their research, considered intellectual property, is not published or peer reviewed. At this point, any decisions about using these developments are made solely by the company and divulged at the company’s discretion, which puts consumers and regulators at a big disadvantage when it comes to developing safeguards against these tiny developments.”