An Overview of Food Related Nanoscience in the Advanced Foods and Materials Network (AFMNet) and in Canada

Rickey Y. Yada and Lorraine Sheremata

Advanced Foods and Materials Network, Networks of Centres of Excellence, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada

E-mail: ryada@uoguelph.ca

ABSTRACT

Advanced Foods and Materials Network, Networks of Centres of Excellence; Health Law Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton; National Institute of Nanotechnology, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

The Advanced Foods and Materials Network (AFMNet, www.afmnet.ca ) is Canada's national food and bio-materials research network, designed to discover new ideas and develop new biology-based technologies to create new commercial opportunities. Partnering with industry, government, not-for-profit organizations and national and international research institutions, AFMNet’s vision is for a healthier Canada.

The Network is headquartered at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada and is a not-for-profit corporation funded by the Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE), Canada’s flagship science and technology program. There are 21Canadian research networks, with AFMNet being unique in its focus on food.

AFMNet comprises hundreds of scientific researchers, professionals, industry partners and government agencies, working on 25 multi-disciplinary research projects. AFMNet projects address 3 broad themes:

1. Structure, Dynamics and Function of Foods and Biomaterials
2. Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals
3. Genetics, Ethics, Economics, Environment, Law and Society Issues (such as regulations and consumer attitudes and perceptions).

AFMNet research focuses on:

Although nanoscience is not the sole focus of AFMNet, many of our research projects, both past and present, have relied heavily on nanoscience to achieve results, and can be found across Theme I (Table 1), Theme 2 (Table 2) and Theme 3 (Table 3). In Theme I, work related to biofilms, peptide self assembly and probiotics are utilizing science and technology at the nanoscale level to not only understand mechanisms but to develop applications (e.g., nutrient and/or drug delivery systems, eradication of biofilms on food processing equipment). Within Theme 2, investigators are examining issues related to nutrition using nanoscience to determine and identify biomarkers while in Theme 3 social/policy issues related to some of the technologies and science at the nanoscale level (e.g., ethical/policy issues related to animal biotechnology) are being examined.

Canada’s first documented investment in nanoscience dates back to the late 1990s when the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIAR, http://www.ciar.ca/web/home.nsf/pages/home) and the Canada Foundation for Innovation (a federal government initiative to support research infrastructure, http://www.innovation.ca/about/index.cfm?websiteid=5) made commitments to a program and support of research infrastructure, respectively, in the area of nanoscience (Figure 1). Today, however, Canada’s investment in nanoscience, both public and private, is relatively small in comparison to other countries (Figure 2).

Figure 1 – Investment in nanotechnology by various countries

Figure 2 – Timeline of various nanotechnology initiatives in Canada and the world.

In an effort to bring national focus to research activities in Canada, the National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT) in Edmonton, Alberta, was established and built in 2001, and is a partnership between the National Research Council (NRC) and the University of Alberta, Edmonton Alberta (http://nint-innt.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/main_e.html ). The 15,000 square metre NINT building houses 120 NRC staff, can accommodate 45 guest workers from industry and universities and provides training opportunities for 275 graduate and post-doctoral researchers.

The building includes specialized spaces for laboratories in chemical and biochemical synthesis and analysis of the material structure at the atomic scale, as well as a Class 1000 Clean Room for the production of nanostructured systems. NINT has purchased the latest generation of scientific equipment, including electron and scanning probe microscopes, and chemical and material analysis instruments. Some areas of expertise include:

AFMNet and NINT researchers are collaborating in a number of the above areas, especially with respect to the social and ethical issues of nanoscience.

In addition to federal activities, concerted efforts are underway at the provincial level to engage both the research and business communities on nanoscience (e.g., Nano-Quebec, Nano-British Columbia and the as yet unveiled Nano-Alberta).

The importance of social, ethical and policy issues in relation to nanoscience has not gone unnoticed by the Canadian government, who recognized, in a recent report, that as activities related to nanoscience increase, there is a need for strong science and effective regulation to protect human health and environment while supporting Canadian competitiveness (May 2007, Mobilizing Science and Technology to Canada’s Advantage, http://www.ic.gc.ca/cmb/welcomeic.nsf/vRTF/PublicationST/$file/S&Tstrategy.pdf). In addition, the Council of Canadian Academies (http://www.scienceadvice.ca/background.html), at the request of Health Canada, has established an expert panel to examine the potential health and environment risk of nanotechnology to generate a report (due early 2008) which will be used to assess the state of knowledge for nanotechnology and the possible establishment of appropriate regulations ( http://www.scienceadvice.ca/nanotechnology.html). Presently, 4 members of AFMNet (Conrad Brunk, University of Victoria; David Castle,University of Ottawa; Richard Gold, McGill University; and Lorraine Sheremata, National Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Alberta) sit as members of this panel.

In conclusion, although nanoscience research efforts in Canada have progressed substantially over the past few years with the activities of AFMNet, NINT and regional nodes, a number of issues still remain to be addressed: major gaps still exist in our understanding of the health, safety, environmental and societal impacts of nanotechnology - filling these gaps will be critically important to the long term success of nanotechnology; in order for the benefits of science and technology at the nanoscale level (e.g. reproductive and genetic technologies, regenerative medicine, synthetic biology, food science) to be realized and accepted, public trust will have to be gained via a coherent and rational approach to stewardship and finally; careful planning and strategic research coordination is necessary to avoid duplication of research efforts, thereby, allowing for synergistic and complementary efforts.

Prof Rickey Yada is a Fellow of the International Academy of Food Science and Technology.