The British House of Lords Science and Technology Committee released its first report on Nanotechnologies and Food on January 7th. The report details the state of the market for food and related nanotechnology. As for the economic impact of nanotechnology in the food sector, Cientifica's 2007 report predicted that the value of products containing nanotechnologies in the food sector worldwide would grow "from $410 million in 2006 to $5.8 billion in 2012" (p 51), a growth of 1,400 per cent within 6 years.
Below are some excerpts from the report that indicated the state of food and related nanotechnology.
FOOD CONTACT MATERIALS
According to the British Food Standards Agency (FSA), very few food contact materials containing a nanomaterial component were available in the United Kingdom and European Union markets: "most products were found on the American and Asian markets" (p 3). Other witnesses agreed that the number of products was small, albeit increasing (Q 104, pp 102, 104).
Examples of food contact materials using nanotechnologies include those where the application of nanotechnology has enabled the development of improved barrier properties. The Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) described a plastic bottle which incorporated nanoparticles as a gas barrier (p 310) and suggested that the use of such packaging was "increasing" (p 310).
Dr Knowles said that the European Food Safety Authority had recently reviewed, and endorsed, two applications for packaging made with nanotechnologies (Q 158). A plastic beer bottle made using clay nanoparticles as a gas barrier to improve shelf-life is currently on the market in the EU (pp 75, 292) and the US (Q 104). Other food contact products containing a nanomaterial include chopping boards and food containers infused with nanosilver because of its anti-microbial properties (p 333).
According to the evidence British researchers received, nanotechnologies are not currently used within the United Kingdom agricultural sector. The Department for Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFRA) said that the development of "smart nanoscale pesticides" was still at the research and development phase; and they were "not aware of any plans for manufactured nanomaterials to be included in fertilizers by manufacturers" (p 47). In contrast, in the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering three applications for licenses for the use of pesticides manufactured using nanotechnologies (see Appendix 6 and paragraph 5.18).
FOOD PRODUCTS AND FOOD SUPPLEMENTS
Nanotechnologies create the possibility of foods with new flavors and textures, and also healthier food products with reduced salt, fat or sugar content or increased vitamin and nutrient content (QQ 87, 177, 224, 281). The FDF described, for example, the wide-ranging benefits of nano-encapsulation:
"[it] offers the ability to deliver smaller quantities of ingredients in a way that maintains flavour and texture properties of the food whilst reducing the content of ingredients that consumers are encouraged to eat less, such as salt and fats. Ingredients such as flavorings’ and micronutrients could also be protected until ready for release into the food, thus maintaining the quality of the ingredient for longer shelf-life." (p 75)
Whilst not challenging the capabilities of nanotechnologies, some witnesses expressed reservations about their potential effects. Ms Georgia Miller, Coordinator of the Friends of the Earth Nanotechnology Project, for example, questioned whether their use might lead to increased consumption of highly processed foods: "Will the addition of nano-additives to junk foods enable them to be marketed for health values, for example increased nano-encapsulated omega-3 or iron fortification?" (Q 286)
MANUFACTURING
Nanotechnologies also have potential for use in food manufacturing processes. Ms Kathy Groves, Principal Microscopist at Leatherhead Food International, for example, referred to nanomaterials being used to develop anti-microbial and anti-stick surfaces (thereby reducing the tendency for machinery to clog and, as a result, the amount of downtime required for cleaning) (Q 87); and Dr Knowles commented on the benefits of nano-coatings "in terms of protecting against contamination by films being built up on food processing machinery surfaces" (Q 158).
FOOD CONTACT MATERIALS
The researchers also received a range of evidence about how nanotechnologies might be used in food packaging. The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), for example, suggested that "new materials based on nanotechnology, with increased strength, offer the potential to reduce packaging waste" (p 236) by allowing packaging to be made thinner and lighter.
Dr George Kellie, Chairman of Microflex Technologies Limited (Q 159) and Ms Sue Davies, Chief Policy Adviser at Which? consumer organisation, (Q 281) agreed. On the other hand Professor Jones was less optimistic: in his view, the incorporation of nanotechnologies in packaging might increase the complexity of packaging materials which might, in turn, increase waste and make them harder to recycle (p 247).
Dr Kellie said that nanotechnologies could enhance the barrier properties of packaging by better controlling the passage of gases and moisture. This would not only improve the shelf-life of food, but would also allow food products to "retain their shelf-life under ambient conditions … we do not have to expend energy to retain the product under frozen or chilled conditions"
(Q 159). Other witnesses agreed (QQ 5, 102). Dr Paul Butler, Director of Packaging Materials and Technologies Limited, suggested that nanotechnologies could allow the development of packaging that was "more communicative and informative to the consumer" (QQ 87, 102); and looking further into the future, Dr Knowles referred to how nanotechnologies might enable the incorporation of "sensors in the packaging which may detect deterioration in [food] quality" (Q 158) resulting in more accurate sell-by dates for perishable foods which would, in turn, improve food safety and reduce wastage (QQ 102, 162, 281).
AGRICULTURE
A report for the European Union funded ObservatoryNANO project, Nanotechnology Developments in the Agrifood Sector, published in April 2009, identified a number of potential applications for nanotechnologies in the agricultural sector. They included novel delivery systems for the more effective use of pesticides and the development of slow release fertilizers. The report suggested that nanotechnology could enable smaller and less frequent applications of agricultural chemicals, thereby reducing residents' and bystander exposure and contamination of local environments.[2]
THE WIDER CONTEXT
Some witnesses saw nanotechnologies in terms of their potential in delivering wider societal benefits. Dr Frans Kampers, Director of BioNT (a centre for bionanotechnology) at Wageningen University and Research Centre in the Netherlands, for example, argued that "food is a very important component of [the] preventative healthcare system paradigm" (Q 87) and that the food industry, in looking at technologies to help individuals get the nutrients they need to stay healthy, might contribute to reducing healthcare costs.
Mr Andrew Opie, Food Policy Director at the British Retail Consortium (BRC), agreed, suggesting that retailers saw the potential of nanotechnologies in assisting customers "to meet some of the targets in nutrition and health" (Q 159). Ms Davies pointed to the potential role of nanotechnologies in tackling food policy issues such as obesity, diet-related disease and food safety (Q 281). The potential contribution of nanotechnologies to the wider environmental agenda through reducing packaging and food waste or pesticide use was also acknowledged by a number of witnesses (see paragraphs 3.11 and 3.12 above).
Projected growth of nanotechnologies in the food sector
Whilst the potential applications of nanotechnologies in the food sector appear to be significant, their projected rate of development and the timescale within which they might be applied in the market is not clear.
A number of witnesses told researchers that work in the United Kingdom is still at an early phase and that further underpinning research is needed to understand the structure of food at the nanoscale and how to manipulate it (QQ 4, 607, p 203).
The same is true at the European Union level (pp 3, 74, 363, Q 101). Dr Andrew Wadge, Director of Food Safety and Chief Scientist at the FSA, was clear, however, that although there is little on the market at present, the FSA "fully expect that to change" (Q 42).
Food packaging involving the use of nanomaterials seems to be the most likely application to appear first in the mass market (CSL). According to Dr Knowles, "advances in packaging are the ones which are most advanced in terms of real applications" (Q 158); and Dr Kellie predicted that the next five years would be "an explosive period of development" for food packaging (Q 164).
Nano-coatings for food preparation surfaces and machinery are also predicted in the next five years (p 51).
Given the current state of the science, the availability of healthier food as a result of the application of nanotechnologies is anticipated in the relatively near future by professionals working in the field. Professor Vic Morris, Partnership Leader at the Institute of Food Research, suggested that "in five to ten years time" there was "a real prospect that nanoscience understanding of food will have generated a range of new foods that have health benefits" (Q 154).
Dr Kampers said that, by then, "we will see improvements in food safety … We will see better packaging materials and increased shelf life … and we will see products that deliver specific nutrients to individuals" (Q 154). Dr Knowles thought that foods with an altered texture, or food modified to have a reduced salt or fat content or to enhance, satiety were near to appearing on the market (Q 165).
Evidence from Japan indicates that the market for food containing nanotechnology in that country is expected to grow rapidly over the next decade, from one billion yen ($11 million) in 2005 to 20 billion yen ($220 million) in 2010, to 150 billion yen ($1.65 billion) in 2020 (pp 20-21).
It has been estimated that up to 400 companies worldwide are currently undertaking research into the applications of nanotechnologies in food or food packaging[3] and a search of patents by Cientifica in 2007 found 464 separate entries relating to applications of nanotechnology in food or food contact packaging.[4] As for the potential market growth for nanotechnologies in the food sector in the United Kingdom, we acknowledge that a number of factors make predicting future market conditions difficult[5], for example the uncertainty over consumer reaction to nanotechnologies.
Most investment in the United Kingdom into the development of nanotechnologies for use in the food sector is by the industry (QQ 572-573). Research by food companies into the uses and applications of nanotechnologies in the food industry began about 10 years ago.
In 1999, Kraft foods established the first nanotechnology laboratory and in 2000 the company set up a 'Nanotek' consortium, involving 15 universities worldwide and national research laboratories (p 311). However, the evidence we received showed that the food industry, both in the United Kingdom and abroad, has been unwilling to provide information about its activities since these developments (see paragraphs 7.15 to 7.19).
As a result, it has not been easy for us to ascertain the progress that has been made by the industry in recent years or the level of investment that the United Kingdom food industry has put into commercializing the application of nanotechnologies.
Based on the relatively limited amount of evidence we received, our impression is that research in the United Kingdom into the application of nanotechnologies in the food sector has proceeded relatively slowly in comparison with research into applications of nanotechnologies in other industrial sectors.
Ms Groves described nanotechnology research in the food sector as being at a "very early" stage (Q 101). The FDF concurred: "we believe the UK to be at the cutting edge of R&D in nanotechnologies in general … Applications in food, food production and food packaging are currently limited by comparison with applications in other industry sectors" (p 76).
In contrast, the United Kingdom is seen to have a strong research base in food nanoscience (the understanding of how food is structured at the nanoscale, as opposed to the actual application of nanotechnologies). For example, the Institute of Food Research (IFR) told us that the United Kingdom "has played a leading role in the understanding of the functionality of foods at a molecular level" (p 55); and the IFST said that the IFR was in the forefront of this area of research, along with the Universities of Leeds and Nottingham (p 311).
A number of witnesses suggested that companies outside the United Kingdom were taking a more active role in researching and developing applications of nanotechnologies in food.
Dr Knowles told told researchers: "I see far more activity in Holland as a single country in nanotechnology than anywhere else" and, in contrast, the United Kingdom was "perhaps not [doing] as well as some of the others [within the EU]" (Q 169).
The Institute of Nanotechnology (IoN) agreed: "most industrial research on nanotechnology applications in agrifood takes place outside the UK … the hubs of academic research are Netherlands and US" (p 315). Dr Kampers described how
Holland had identified ten themes on which to focus its nanotechnologies research, one of which was food. He explained: "the proposal is to spend about €40 million over five years on applications of nanotechnology in food" (Q 100). Of this funding, 50 per cent would be provided by Government and 50 per cent by the participants (that is, industry and academia) (Q 100). We heard from the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) that food companies in the United States, although unwilling to talk about their work, were continuing to explore the potential of nanotechnologies (see Appendix 6).
Outside the United Kingdom there is government funding available for developing applications of nanotechnologies in the food sector. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) told us that they are currently running a research program looking at the potential applications of nanotechnologies in the agricultural sector but said that it was a small-scale project with limited funding.
In contrast, Brazil invests heavily in research and development related to agri-technologies, and nanotechnologies have been identified as a priority. The Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation has set up a National Centre for Nanotechnology Applied to Agri-business with the specific aim of "increasing the competitiveness of Brazilian agriculture through the development of new nanotechnologies" (p 10). The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in Japan has launched a project looking at producing nanoscale particles of traditional foods such as rice and soybeans (pp 20-21).
The European Union, which "claims to be the biggest supporter of nanotechnology research in the world" (Q 169), is expected to allocate up to €3.5 billion between 2007 and 2013 to nanotechnology-related projects through its Framework 7 programmes.[6] While the majority of this funding is directed at industries other than the food industry, the call for applications in 2007 included a small number of topics of relevance to the food sector, including nano-devices for quality assurance, food safety and product properties,[7] innovative and safe packaging[8] and converging technologies and their potential for the food area.[9]
