Nanotechnology for Food, Agricultural, and Biosystems Industry

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• Nanotechnology for Food, Agricultural, and
  Biosystems Industry

Suresh Neethirajan, EIT
Innovation Workshop Canadian Farm Business
Management Council 29 May 2007, Ottawa
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Spinach May Soon Power Mobile Devices !

• biologically inspired photochemical device
• nanoscale photodiode from spinach leaves
• rechargeable energy source

Photosystem I
Source Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Nanotechnology?
ability to work at the atomic, molecular and
even sub-molecular levels in order to create and
use material structures, devices and systems with
new properties and functions
Source National Science Foundation, USA
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Why Nanotechnology Is Important?
Worldwide spending on nanotechnology Source
National Science Foundation, United States
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Why Nanotechnology Is Important?
Year
Source Helmut Kaiser Consultancy, Germany
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Agrifood Nanotechnology

• Health and Nutrition
• Development of Novel Materials
• Food Processing
• Food Safety

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Nano Encapsulation
Canola Active Oil
Tip-Top Up - Omega 3 Bread

• nanocapsules with tuna fish oil
• nanocapsules break only in the stomach

• nanoencapsulation of fortified phytosterols
• - reduce cholesterol intake by 14

Source Tip Top Bakery, Australia
Source Shemen Industries, Israel
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Nanoceuticals

• Nano Synergy Energy Booster (Viatmin ,
• Calcium, B-Complex)
• Lycopene (supplement carotenoid, phytosterols
• by BASF)
• Reduces the surface tension of foods
• Supplement to increase wetness and absorption

Source www.sprayforlife.com, BASF, The Chemical
Company
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Nano Composites
Lighter and stronger Minimizes loss of CO2 from
Beer
Nano food-packaging film (Bayer Polymer Inc)
Nanoclay particle based Beer Bottle (Nanocor Inc)
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NanoBioluminescence Detection Spray
Nanoengineered luminescent protein emits a
visible glow to the surface of Salmonella and
E.Coli
Source AgroMicron Ltd.
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Lab in a Pea Pod
Chip for Quality Analysis
Protein Lab Chip
Source Sandia National Laboratories, USA CSIRO,
Australia Agilent Technologies
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Nano Powered Catalytic Device
- Coated with 20 nm width Zeolite
nanoparticles - better taste, crisper deep-fried
foods - better consistency of product - lower
costs - USFDA, NSF approved
Source www.oilfresh.com
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Nano-Electronic Tongue
Quality control for beverages by electronic tongue
Nano- Electronic Tongue
Source Kraft foods
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Nano Cleaning
Nanocheck Algae Preventor
Non-toxic Nano Emulsion Disinfectant
Source Envirosystems Inc Altair
Nanotechnologies Ltd
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Nano Feed for Chicken

• Nano Selenium may stop bird flu
• Nano Chicken Feed - polystyrene
• nanoparticles bind with bacteria to
• chickens as alternative to chemical
• antibiotics

Source Biofactors Journal, 2001 Altair
Nanotechnologies Ltd
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Nano Agro Chemicals

• Timely released
• Time controlled
• Spatially targeted
• Regulated
• Responsive and
• effective Delivery

Nano Plant Growth Regulator
Nano Fungicide
Source Syngenta Corporation
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Smart Dust

• Potential Applications
• Monitoring humidity, temperature in the
  environment
• Detecting onset of food spoilage and food
  freshness
• Monitor soil conditions and crop growth for
  precision farming

Source University of California, Berkeley
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Nano Management for Farm Production

• Injectable Nano-chips for Animal Tracking
• Nano-Eugenics - Remotely Regulating Animals
• Nanosensors and Drug Delivery Systems for Animals
• Nano-Bo-Peep for health monitoring of Crops and
  Animals
• Nanosystems for Identity Preservation and
  Tracking

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Nano Sensors for Grain Storage
Pressure Sensor
Carbon dioxide Sensor
Temperature Sensor
Acoustic Sensors
Odour Sensor
Humidity and Dust Sensor
Grain Bin
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Nano This and Nano That

• Biomicro-electromechanical systems
• Nucleic acid bioengineering
• Smart treatment delivery systems
• Animal Breeding by nanotubes

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Challenges and Issues

• What are the unintended consequences?
• Little is known about how the particles
  interact with the environment and human body?
• Nanoparticles might ferry toxins right past the
  body's normal defense
• Royal Society (UK) Nanotechnology pose health
  and environmental risks great enough to justify
  banning (Washington Post 7/30/04)
• ETC Group Horrendous social and
  environmental risks
• .

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Nano No - No ??

• Potential unforeseen risks
• More safety data needed before using
  nanotechnology in agriculture
• Concerns over the use and consumers safety
• Ethical Issues
• ETC Group and Government Agencies

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Conclusions
"The Next Big Thing Is Really Small
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References

• http//web.mit.edu/newsoffice/topic/nanotech-archi
  ve.html
• www.foodproductiondaily.com/news/ng.asp?id63704
• Nanoparticles make Durethan films airtight and
  glossy, Bayer Polymers
• www.ptonline.com/articles/kuw/12437.html
• www.agromicron.com/BTP.htm
• www.nanoforum.org
• www.nanotechnow.com
• Small Times Magazine
• www.cornell.edu
• www.mit.edu

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• THANK YOU