Status of Applying Nanotechnology in Food in Taiwan

An-I Yeh and Lucy Sun Hwang

Graduate Institute of Food Science & Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (ROC)

E-mail: yehs@ntu.edu.tw

ABSTRACT

Nanotechnology is an exciting and rapidly emerging technology allowing us to work, manipulate and create tools, materials and structures at the molecular level, into functional structures having nanometer dimensions. It has been widely used in various products, such as textiles, packaging, cosmetics, compliance and information technology. Nature has been performing “nanotechnological feats” for millions of years. Through the arrangement of atoms and molecules, biological systems combine wet chemistry and electro-chemistry in a living system. We are just beginning to catch glimpses of nanoscale-methods used in nature to create self-replicating, self-monitoring, self-controlling and self-repairing tools, materials and structures. Nanotechnology has been recognized as an enabling technology that has the potential to revolutionize agriculture and food systems.

In Taiwan, the research and applications of nanotechnology in food started about 6 years ago. Academic research is focused on the preparation and characterization of nanoparticles, the incorporation of nanotechnology in Chinese herbs, physiological effects of nanoparticles, and their applications. It is very difficult to synthesize edible materials from molecules. Thus, the top-down methods are utilized to prepare nanoparticles from edible materials. With success in utilizing media milling technology, we are currently making nanoparticles (smaller than 100 nm) or submicron particles from edible materials, such as cellulose and yam. The aggregation of particles needs to be overcome before commercializing the process. The results demonstrate that the media milling will enable the food industry to economically produce nano/submicron particles from agricultural resources.

Introduction

Food is necessary for people to live. In addition to the energy for living, eating also provides health and joy to the consumers. With rapid economic development, consumer’s health consciousness has increased dramatically. That makes the health food as a mainstream in the global market. Soybean products are a typical example. After being approved by US FDA to reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular disease, soybean related products have been very popular in the market. It is believed that there exist some active compounds in natural edible materials. Eating habit plays an important role on maintaining the body’s health. The chance of having prostate cancer increases with eating over-processed foods. Increase in the intake of whole grain has been found to significantly reduce metabolic syndrome (Sahyoun et al., 2006). High fat diets inhibit the activity of GnT-4a glycosyltransferase and thus increases the occurrence of diabetes. To meet the market needs, both complex health food and individualized food need to be developed. Nanotechnology appears to be an enabling technology for the food industry to deliver active compounds.

Development of nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is an enabling technology that has the potential to revolutionize agriculture and food systems. Based on the report for the National Planning Workshop, (November 18-19, 2002, Washington, DC), submitted to Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, the United States Department of Agriculture, Rutzke (2003) summarized that the research areas in agriculture and food system are:

The workshop initiated the application of nanotechnology in the food system with four major purposes: to maintain wellness, to improve environment, to increase agricultural products, and to add value to products that would be the incentives for developing food nanotechnology. Driven by the market need on wellbeing, safety, and convenience, nanotechnology can be utilized in several areas, including health food, medicinal food, detection systems and recycle of wastes. With the incorporation of this innovative technology, the safety, quality, and freshness of food can be assured, which will lead the nanotechnology being the key technology for developing health food.

Application of Food Nanotechnology in Taiwan

The utilization of nano particles in drug can enhance the absorption or bioavailbility. Nanonization of food materials creates dramatically the surface area and number of particles, which would increase the absorption of food materials in the intestine system and thus be helpful for minimizing the symptom of dyspepsia. It is good for the health of children, senior citizens, and those who need special care. Nanoparticles from chitosan were found to enhance the capability of anti-bacteria and induced-apoptosis of tumor cells (Qi et al., 2004). Both nanoparticles and nanocapsules have potential to enhance the bioavailability of health food and thus strengthen the functionality of products. However, the safety of manmade nanoparticles from food material needs to be assessed.

Most of the development and application of nanotechnology in food are based on concept that the nano-scale particle would increase in absorption or bioavailability in human bodies. In dairy products, such as milk, two major companies (Uni-President Group.andWei Chuan Corp.) have utilized nanonized calcium, iron in milk as an effective additive for enhanced absorption. In addition to the application of minerals, people are trying to combine nanotechnology and herbs for developing new products. Among the Chinese herbs, Ganoderma spp. and Antrodia cinnamomea are two typical examples. In Ganoderma spp., polysaccharides have been found to be effective on anti-tumor and enhancing immunity. Triterpenes have shown positive effect on protecting liver and reducing blood pressure and triglycerides (Gao and Zhou, 2003; Chen and others, 2004). Antrodia cinnamomea is specially grown in mountain region in Taiwan. It’s anti-etching, liver protecting, analgesic, and relief from alcohol hangover have long been discovered and utilized by the endogenous aborigines. Nevertheless, most of the actual active compounds and the mode of action remain elusive.

References

Chen H-S, Tsai Y-F, Lin S, Lin C-C, Khoo K-H, Lin C-H, Wong C-H. 2004. Studies on the immuno-modulating and anti-tumor activities of Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) polysaccharides. Bioorg Med. Chem 12: 5595 – 5601.

Gao Y, and Zhou S. 2003. Cancer prevention and treatment by Ganoderma, a mushroom with medicinal properties. Food Rev. Int. 19 (3): 275 – 325.

Qi, L, Xu Z, Jiang X, Hu C, Zou X. 2004. Preparation and antibacterial activity of chitosan nanoparticles. Carbohydr. Res. 339: 2693-2700.

Rutzke C J. 2003. Nanoscale science and engineering for agriculture and food systems. A Report Submitted to Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, The United States Department of Agriculture, National Planning Workshop, November 18-19, 2002, Washington, DC.

Sahyoun, N. R., Jacques, P. F., Zhang, X. L., Juan, W., McKeown, N. M., 2006. Whole-grain intake is inversely associated with the metabolic syndrome and mortality in older adults. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 83: 124 –31

Professor Lucy Hwang is a Fellow of the International Academy of Food Science and Technology