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The advantages brought about by nanotechnology within the food sector tend to be many and are likely to increase with time. This technology is new, rapidly developing, and can affect nearly every process carried out within the food industry. Their commercial applications in the form of nanomaterials are, therefore, poised to have an increasingly positive effect on the industry due to their unique properties. As a result, the exposure of humans to nanomaterials is growing and will continue to do so with time, which is why the public has an interest in and concern with regards to how nanomaterials will impact their health. The safety of nanomaterials contained within food or other food-related products, alongside whatever utility they hold, will therefore determine how well they are received by the masses.
What is Nanotechnology?
In the United States, the National Nanotechnology Initiative describes nanotechnology as the control and understanding of matter at the nanoscale level, a level where the manipulation of certain phenomena or substances can allow for novel applications. They can be further understood as substances that are anywhere from 1 to 100 nm (nanometers) in size, exhibiting distinctive biological, physical, and chemical properties. Their surface area or miniscule size is what contributes to their higher stability, strength, and biological and…
