Nanotechnology and Applications in Food Safety

Publisher Summary One of the new technologies to improve food safety is nanotechnology, which is the manipulation or self-assembly of individual atoms, molecules, or molecular clusters into structures, the purpose of which is to create materials and devices with new or vastly different properties. Nanotechnology will enable the manufacture of high-quality products at a very low cost and fast pace. It is commonly referred to as a generic technology that offers better-built, safer, longer-lasting, cheaper, and smarter nonfood products with wide applications in consumer households, the communications industry, and the medicine field. For food manufacturers, using nanotechnology can mean gaining a more competitive position. While in the long term consumers may benefit from advances in nanotechnology as new methods for improving the safety and quality of food products are developed and applied, the products still need to be regulated to ensure safety and consumer protection.