Nano-technology for advance food packaging.

1. NANO-TECHNOLOGY FOR SAFE FOOD
PACKAGING
Dr. Keshab Debnath, MVSc.

2. WHAT IS NANOTECHNOLOGY?
• Process involving experimenting
and manipulating with particles
that have dimensions in the scales
of nanometers
• Nobel Laureate physician
Richard P. Feyman -1959.
• Eric Drexler - Popularized
:nanotech in 1980’s

3. Nanotechnology
Medical and
pharmaceuticals
Information technology
Agriculture and
environmental science
Automotives
Material
science
Energy production
and
distribution
Electronics and
telecommunication
Aerospace
Application matrix of Nanotechnology
Application matrix of Nanotechnology

4. APPLICATION OF
NANOTECNOLOGY IN FOOD
INDUSTRY
Nanotechnology
Food design
Food safety
Food allergy
Insecticide substitute
Food security
Food
chemistry
Space food
Food packaging

5. TOP 10 APPLICATIONS OF
NANOTECHNOLOGY IN FOOD
INDUSTRY
1. Energy storage, production and conversion
2. Agricultural productivity enhancement
3. Water treatment
4. Disease diagnosis and screening
5. Drug delivery system
6. Food processing and Packaging
7. Air pollution
8. Construction
9. Health monitoring
10.Vector and pest detection and control

6. “NANO FOOD FOR A THOUGHT”

7. APPLICATION OF NANOTECHNOLOGY
IN MEAT PACKAGING
• Alter the structure of package
materials on the molecular scale
-desired properties
• Sales of nano-related packaged
products (In US) rising from
150 million US dollars (2002) to
10000 million US dollars (2009)

8. Predicted that nanotech will
change 25% of food
packaging business in next
decade

9. HOW IS NANOTECH USED IN
PACKAGING MEAT?
Nano-composites technology
• Polymer bonded with nano-
particle to produce materials with
enhanced properties.
• Ability to work at molecular level
to create large structures with
fundamentally new molecular
organization.
• Nano-crystalline materials
(aggregation of atoms) are used
with grain sizes 1-100nm range.

10. • Consist of a nanometer scale
phase in combination with
another phase
–Zero dimension (Nano-particle)
–One dimension (Nano-fiber)
–Two dimension (Nano-layer)
–Three dimension (
Interpenetrating network)

11. • Capable of converting plastic into a super-
barrier without upsetting regulators. (Dr.
Aaron Brody,2003).
• Both flexible and rigid plastics are utilized for
nano-composite structures, including
polypropylene, nylon, poly-ethylene
terephthalate and polyethylene.
• 2011-consumption is estimated to be 100
million lb

12. Durethan nano-composites
• Nano-particles of clay.
• Block O2, CO2 and moisture from
reaching fresh meats or other foods.
• Makes the plastic lighter, stronger and
more heat-resistant.
Nylon nano-composites
• Nylon has a 50oF-higher melting temp
• Used as barrier layers for multilayer
PET containers- perform 2-3 times
better than the traditional ethylene
vinyl alcohol barrier layers

13. ADVANTAGES OF
NANOCOMPOSITE FILMS
• Gas, oxygen, water, etc.
barriers
• High mechanical strength
• Thermal stability
• Chemical stability
• Recyclability
• Dimensional stability
• Heat-resistance
• Good optical clarity (since
particles are nano-size).

14. NANO-COMPOSITES IN PLASTIC STRUCTURE
Nanocomposite Properties Nanomaterials Application Developed by
Polymer silicate
nanocomp-osite
Emerging class
High aspect ratio
Heat resistant
Increased flexural
modulus
Montmorillonite
2:1
Dia – 1-100 nm
Plastics with
Barrier to gases
Nanocor,Arlingto
n Heights
(www.nanocor.co
m)
Nylon-6-
nanocomp-osite
52% increase in
flexural modulus
Increase heat
resistance-350 C
Lower the oxygen
transfer rate -4
times
Montmorillonite Modified
Atmospheric
Packaging
AveryDennison
Corp.,Ohio.
(www.averydennis
on.com)
Use of organic-
inorganic
substance
Tough, light
weight and
biodegradable
Potato starch +
Calcium
carbonate
Fast food Stucky25

15. ANTIMICROBIAL PACKAGING
AND „ACTIVE PACKAGING‟
Nano-sensors
• Detects all kinds of food
pathogens like E. coli,
Campylobacter, Salmonella
(www.foodhaccp.com) and
Listeria (Manuel, 2004)
• Contamination, toxins or lapses
in expiry dates can be detected.

16. USE OF NANOTECHNOLOGY IN
MEAT PACKAGING
• Better packaging
• Saves lives
• Prevents illness
• Prevents food spoilage
• Increased sales
• Environment friendly

17. DIFFERENT TYPE OF BIOSENSORS
Sr.
No.
Type Principle Application Example
1. Monoenzyme and
multienzyme biosensors
Biocatalytic reactions, viz.,
oxidation/reduction, hydrolysis etc.
Determination of
disaccharides,
cholesterol, creatinine
and nucleic acids
Commercial
2. Immunosensors Complex formation Antigen, Antibodies,
Hormones,drugs,microbe
s, peptides etc.
Commercial
3. Surface Plasmon
Resonance based sensors
Optical illumination of metal leads to
generation of exited free electrons and
causes change in refractive index in ambient
phase
Detection of toxin, intact
cell
E.coli0:157:H7,
Salonella enteritidis &
L.monocytogenes11
106
cells/ml
4. Acoustic wave based
biosensors
Mass sensitive Antibodies and hormones
5. Piezoelectric biosensors Mass sensitive, cut quartz crystal is coated
with antigen
Widely used for detection
of antibodies
100% sensitivity
forS.enteritidis,
Helicobacter
pylori(www.sensorma
g.com)
6 Amperometric biosensors Graphite electrode is used, change in electric
potential
Microbial detection S.aureus,103Cells/ml

19. Adhesin-specific Nano-particles
• Irreversibly bind to targeted types of bacteria,
inhibiting them from binding to and infecting
their host. (Latour et al. 2003)
Two types
• Organic polymer- Polysterene
• Inorganic nano-particles functionalized with
polysaccharides and polypeptides

20. “Self-cleaning” materials
• Anti-microbial compounds that can
be released under certain
environmental conditions and kill
the contaminant micro flora.
Nano-emulsions
• Oil droplets of 400-800 µm in
diameter -fuse with microbes and
subsequently disrupt the
membrane of a variety of different
pathogens (Lerner, 2000).

21. „ELECTRONIC TONGUE‟ TECHNOLOGY
AND SMART PACKAGING
Smart packaging
• Responds to environmental
conditions or repair itself or alert a
consumer to contamination and/or
the presence of pathogens.
“Electronic Tongue” Technology
• The sensors can detect substances in
parts per trillion and would trigger
a colour change in the packaging

22. NANOTECHNOLOGY AND
TRANSPORTATION OF GASES
SINTEF
• Create small particles in the film
• Improve transportation of some
gases through the plastic film
• Pump out dirty air such as CO2

23. • Dispersing a filler material
into nano-particles creates
multiple, parallel layers.
• Force gases to flow through
the polymer in a ―Tortuous
Path‖, forming complex
barriers to gases and water
vapour.

24. ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY
PACKAGING
• Waste reduction
• Nano-composite
polymers reduces
packaging wastes and
enables recycling
efforts

25. SHELF LIFE ENHANCER
• Printable Indicator
which contain reactive substance
that signals if oxygen is present in
package.
Release on Command
• Intelligent packaging -release a
preservative if the food within
begins to spoil.
• Operated by Bio-switch

26. DEFENCE AND SECURITY
APPLICATIONS
Super Sensors
• Biosensors detect pathogens
quickly and easily-play a
crucial role in the event of a
terrorist attack on the food
supply. (USDA)
• Environmental friendly, light
weight packaging materials -
used in army rations.
(Brody,2003)

27. ADVANTAGES OF
NANOTECHNOLOGY
• Thermal Stability
• Flexibility
• Chemical Stability
• High mechanical Strength
• Heat resistance
• Good optical density
• Functionality-Anti-counterfeit, Anti-
tamper, Anti-microbial, Sensors
(temperature, moisture, light, decay)
• Gas, Oxygen, water etc., barrier.
• Recyclability.
• Dimensional stability

28. COMPANIES WORKING IN
NANO-PACKED FOOD
• CONSTAR® International:―Diamond Clear‖-
--nano-material blended with PET—O2
scavenger
• Air product polymer:―AIR FLEX EF 9100
EMULSION‖ prevent penetration of liquid or
gases. Environment friendly.
• KODAK® :Antimicrobial food packaging
• Amcol International Co-op---NANOCOR®
Polymer blended with nano-crystal

29. • Honey well ®:Polymer nanoclay—gas barrier
– OX----Oxygen scavenger
– HFX---Hot Filled Application
– CSD---Carbonated soft drink
• SOLPHAS ®:Environment friendly nano-
particle for coating plastic film, Antimicrobial
packaging
• BAYON ®:Supply nano-composite nylon film
to juice carton
• KRAFT ® :Working on nano-particle films that
will detect food pathogens

30. CURRENT STATUS OF
NANOTECHNOLOGY
WORLD
– USA is leading country followed by Japan and China
– At present estimated to be worth of 2.6 billion US dollars and
has increased to 7 billion in 2006 and 20.4 billion in 2010
– 2010, Asia ----Biggest market
– No. of companies in R & D---69(2002) to 200(2004)

31. INDIA
• Nano wave is recent
• Research is in nascent phase, with most active groups
concentrated across a number of public-funded
institutions
• To promote R& D Government launched NSTI
• Mumbai based ―Yash Nanotech‖

32. HAZARD ASSOCIATED WITH
NANOTECHNOLOGY
• Particles with 1-100nm size-Environmentalist are
concerned with interaction of tiny particles with
environment and Human health
• Small particles are more bioactive and toxic.
• Cross skin, lung and Blood Brain Barrier
• Judicious use will find tremendous application

33. CONCLUSION
• Due to application in various field its
importance is recognized
• Consumer demand for cost effective
and Safe food met by Nanotechnology
• Nano-packed foods—Better shelf-life,
lighter weight and better recyclability
• In long run nanotechnology will change
the fabrication of whole food industry.

34. The potential of nano-technology in food
industry cannot be fully appreciated
yet because of lack of sufficient
knowledge.
If Nano-technology continues to advance
at its current pace, we could expect
that soon we will be able to create
unlimited amount of food by synthesis
at the atomic level, which would
eradicate hunger
(Carmen et al., 2003).

35. “World behind Nano food”