Untested nanoparticles showing up in thousands of consumer products

Since 2006, the use of nanoparticles in consumer products has skyrocketed by over 600 percent. Nanotechnologies, which involve the manipulation of elements and other matter on the atomic and molecular scale, are now used in over 1,300 commercial and consumer products. And that number is expected to jump nearly three-fold by 2020. But are these nanoparticles safe for humans and the environment, particularly when used in food-related applications?

According to data provided by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN), a group formed in 2005 for the purpose of "creating an active public and policy dialogue" on nanotechnology, nanoparticles are now used in everything from car batteries and appliances, to aluminum foil and non-stick cookware. The "Food and Beverage" section of PEN even includes various vitamin and mineral supplements that contain nanoparticles, as well as McDonald's hamburger boxes.

Many people believe that nanotechnology may be "the next industrial revolution," but is the technology really safe? Just like genetically-modified organisms (GMO), nanotechnology has never been proven to be safe for humans or for the environment. Deconstructing and reassembling molecular components and injecting these altered molecules back into our clothing, furniture, cars, and food is really more of a giant experiment in human health than it is a successful technological breakthrough.

A 2004 study found that nanoparticles cause brain damage in fish and other aquatic species exposed to them. And the ETC Group, an international organization devoted to conservation and sustainable advancement, actually called for a moratorium on the production of nanoparticles back in 2002 after a European Parliament paper warned about their toxicity a

A 1997 study put out by Oxford University and Montreal University linked titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles in sunscreen to causing free radical and DNA damage in skin. And numerous other studies have found that nanoparticles are easily absorbed by cells, where they cause other untold harm within the body.

According to PEN, the majority of nanotechnology applications are in the "Health and Fitness" cateogory, which includes the use of nanoscale silver for its antimicrobial properties. Ironically, health authorities have mocked those who use colloidal silver and other similar products for antimicrobial and other health purposes, but now that silver is being used as part of nanotechnology, it is myseteriously becoming widely accepted and showing up in all kinds of products without warning.

In 2008, the National Research Council, one of the National Academies in Washington, DC, stated that none of the nation's 18 government bodies, including the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have ever proven the safety of nanotechnology prior to its widespread use. Despite $14 billion in government and private investment, there is not one shred of basic evidence that shows how nanoparticles are even absorbed and metabolized by the body, and yet they are used in thousands of consumer products that are ingested or applied on skin .

SETTING YOUR TABLE AS A SMALL PLANET

How do we put food on our tables? Once, people simply relied on their local farmers. Today, we depend on a global web of growers, fisheries, packers, shippers, manufacturers, retailers as well as government and industry bodies.

As the world becomes smaller and "flatter," countries that at one time seemed distant are now primary sources of our food supply.

Many of those countries do not have consistent standards for quality, process and accountability. Additionally, this complex system impacts and is impacted by other global systems—from energy to climate to healthcare to trade.

The result is a whole host of inefficiencies arising from issues of scarcity, safety, sustainability and cost. And an opportunity for our food system to get a lot smarter.

We need to make sure our food system is safe. In the U.S. alone, 76 million cases of food-borne illnesses occur each year. Imports account for nearly 60% of the fruits and vegetables we consume, and 75% of the seafood. Yet only 1% of those foods are inspected before they cross our shores.

We need it to be affordable. Consumer product firms and retailers lose $40 billion annually, or 3.5% of their sales, due to supply chain inefficiencies. And the true cost of food production can't always be captured in dollars. Sixty years ago, we could create a calorie of food with less than half a calorie of fossil fuel. Today, a single calorie of modern supermarket food requires 10 calories of fossil fuel to produce.

And we need to make it more sustainable and efficient. Rising fuel costs are making it increasingly difficult to get enough food to the populations that have come to depend on distant producers. At the same time, 30% of the food purchased in developed nations ends up going to waste.

Trying to manage these problems in isolation is no longer an option. Fortunately, a smarter global food system—one that is more connected, instrumented and intelligent—is at hand. For example, IBM is helping Norway's largest food supplier use RFID technology to trace meat and poultry from the farm through the supply chain to the store shelf.

A smarter food system means end-to-end visibility across the entire global supply chain. So scarce resources can be more thoughtfully managed. So people can have more confidence in the quality of their food. So the whole world can put healthy meals on the table. Let's build a smarter planet.

Food Technology

Food Technology

Food technology courses attract a large number of students because of its novelty as an educational course and also because of the growing demand for food technologists in today's world of packaged and fast foods. Food technologists are mainly required in hotels, food industries, rice mills, distilleries and packaging industries. The Ministry of Food Processing Industries which started functioning since 1988 has given a tremendous boost to this sector in India.

Qualifications

Candidates seeking admission to the undergraduate programs in food technology need to pass the Higher Secondary or 10+ 2 examinations with physics, chemistry, biology or mathematics. For enrolling in a post-graduation course one should be a graduate in food technology or related areas.

Benefits

The food technology courses give adequate training and knowledge to candidates regarding the quality analyzes of raw materials, packaging standards and methodology, health and hygiene parameters, processing techniques, storage and food value. They are also educated and trained to develop methodologies for extracting useful byproducts from industrial and domestic waste. The future of the food industries, on a global scale, is in the hand of food technologists.

Courses in India

The food technology courses cover the various aspects of food technology, microbiology, food preservation techniques, genetics and food packaging. Central food Technology and Research Institute, Mysore, is a premier institute for food technology courses. ICAR also offering Food Science & Technology courses. Apart from this, there are several other institutes best known for offering food technology courses in India.

Scope in India

A food technologist can get the job of a Quality Assurance Manager, Production Manager, Laboratory Supervisor, Food Packaging Manager or as a technician in food processing and packaging industry or even as a research associate in premier institutes, universities and research and development units. A post - graduate candidate in food technology can work as a lecturer or an advisor in Government Colleges, Inspection Boards or Quality Control Cells. Companies like Hindustan Lever, Heinz, Kellog , Nestle and many others recruit food technologists periodically for bringing about an improvement in their products. A graduate in home science, nutrition and hotel management can also fetch you good jobs in this sector.

Both the private and the public sectors provide lucrative job opportunities to food technologists. The hotel industries in particular are the leading job providers. The openings are mainly in the production and quality control departments. You can also work as food packaging technologist and food preservation managers in various food packaging industries.

Scope  in abroad

You can work as a product development manager in a food research company to devise food products according to the needs of the consumers and effectively implement the products in an innovative way. You can also pursue your research work as a scientist abroad to formulate new product range and enhance the existing portfolio of products in various food research institutes. You can work as a sensory scientist to monitor organic properties like aroma, flavor and more. Even companies abroad recruit food technologists to ensure and monitor the quality and hygiene of food products in their contamination and adulteration prevention units.

                                                                                                                                                          -Sanjeev 

Food Nano bio-technology

Food Nano bio-technology: An overview of the developing research area

Nano technology is the technology to measure, manipulate & measuring things, at the scale of atoms &molecules i.e.1-100 nm .the term Nano technology was first introduced by a Japanese engineer, Norio Taniguchi. It exploits the fact that some materials have different properties at this ultra-small scale than from those at a large scale.

Nano Science & Nano technologies made their first tentative appearance about two decades ago. Today, more than 200 companies around the world are active in Nano scale research & development. USA is the leader followed by Japan & China. By 2010 Asia with more than 50% of the world population will be the biggest market for Nano technology in food sector with the leading of China. In the last several years Nano technology has progressed from passive Nano technology (i.e. coatings & structured Nano metals) to active Nano technology(i.e. targeted drug delivery) &Nano systems (i.e. robotics).
Nanoparticles are now applicable to food stuffs & food ingredients, nutraceuticals, diagnostics, biosensors, enzyme catalyst, medicine & ecology etc. In the changing market environments, keeping leadership in food processing industry, we will have to implement Nano technology in the future.


Current research and development priorities in food technology


Current interest of Nano research in food sciences deals mainly withfood safety aspects like production of food antimicrobial encapsulation systems based on developments in Nano technology and colloidal sciences, utilization of metal nanoparticles as carrier for poly peptide antimicrobials and as probes for detection of microbial cells .”Food processing” aspects like development of high intensity ultra sound as a food processing technology , inactivation of microorganisms ,physicochemical modification of biopolymer functionality ex: Reduction of molecular weight of CHO &modification of enzyme activity, ‘Food Nano technology ‘ aspects like development of Nano structured food systems using ultrafiltration & electrospining as formation methods & as nutraceuticals use of Nano based food particles in certain disease condition to enhance immunity & for achieve therapeutic responses. Minscule Nano machines ,which are able to circulate through the blood stream & clean out fat deposits from arteries , kill microbes ,undo tissue damage, reverse cancer ,could be delivered to the human body through foods, this will put in a new perspective , the health promotion role of foods & nutritional therapy .

Impact of Nano research in food science on the global market
Nanotech has performed implications for farmers. The number of Nanotechnology food products currently being sold appears to be relatively small. But with millions of dollars are being spent globally by both government & industry to apply Nanotechnologies in area such as food processing, food safety & packaging.
The main source of increasing the speed of these technologies with the next few years are climate change, cost efficiency, population growth & new applications using food as drug & nutrition. On the other hand it would invite government to reform regulations in manufacturing & marketing to keep economy balanced & watch public health risk.


Reference: A publication of Association of Food Scientists & Technologists, India. Indian Food Industry Magazine, volume 26.Mysore

Congratulations...

CONGRATULATIONS
On behalf of Association of Food Technologist (AFT) we would like to congratulate Mr.Sunilkumar & Ms.Monika ,both have secured 6th rank in ICAR-JRF examination 2010-11 in Food Science Technology & Agricultural Biotechnology respectively. And also we would like to congratulate Ms.kavitha & Mr.Chidananda who have secured 11th & 12th rank in Food Science Technology respectively.
-AFT

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