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greenhouses, radically different from those today, that would with growing meat by "marinating" fish myoblast (muscle) cells allow local or individualized production by millions who know in liquid nutrients to encourage the cells to divide and multiply on nothing about farming... At the next stage of molecular their own. The first goal is to keep astronauts in space from going manufacturing, food synthesis could occur directly, without hungry.'* growing crops or livestock." — Douglas Mulhall, Our Molecular Future (Prometheus Books, 2002) Packaging * "Why can't human beings imitate nature's methodology? Today, food packaging and monitoring are a major focus of Instead of harvesting grain and cattle for carbohydrates and pro- _ food industry related nanotech R&D. Packaging that incorporates tein, nanomachines (nanobots) could assemble the desired steak nanomaterials can be "smart", which means that it can respond to or flour from carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms present in the environmental conditions or repair itself or alert a consumer to air as water and carbon dioxide. Nanobots present in foods could contamination and/or the presence of pathogens. circulate through the blood system, cleaning out fat deposits and According to industry analysts, the current US market for killing pathogens." — Dr Marvin J. Rudolph, director, DuPont "active, controlled and smart" packaging for foods and beverages Food Industry Solutions, in Food is an estimated $38 billion—and will Technology, January 2004 surpass $54 billion by 2008.'” Producing food by molecular The following examples illustrate manufacturing’? is the most nano-scale applications for food and ambitious goal of nanotech—and the beverage packaging: least likely to materialise any time * Chemical giant Bayer produces a soon. To those who have followed At the next stage of molecular transparent plastic film (called the biotech debate over the past two manufacturing, food synthesis Durethan) containing nanoparticles ecades, enthusiastic claims that a H . of clay. e nanoparticles are new technology will feed hungry could occur directly, without dispersed throughout the plastic and people is a tired and empty refrain. growing crops or livestock. are able to block oxygen, carbon Nano-optimists see the future through the biotech industry's rose- (and green-) coloured glasses: now it's nanotech, they claim, that will eradicate hunger by increasing resistant. agricultural yields, enhancing the * Until recently, industry's quest to nutritional content of food and eliminating the risk of food package beer in plastic bottles (for cheaper transport) was unsuc- allergens.” cessful because of spoilage and flavour problems. Today, ETC Group concludes that present-day "nanotech for tummies" Nanocor, a subsidiary of Amcol International Corp., is producing is following the same trajectory as other nano-scale R&D, with the nanocomposites for use in plastic beer bottles that give the brew a earliest applications in the area of "smart" materials and sensors. six-month shelf life." By embedding nanocrystals in plastic, More revolutionary applications, such as the atomic modification researchers have created a molecular barrier that helps prevent the of food, are perhaps more distant. But it's worth noting that afew escape of oxygen. Nanocor and Southern Clay Products are now dioxide and moisture from reaching fresh meats or other foods.'* The nanoclay also makes the plastic lighter, stronger and more heat- ambitious scientists are trying to create food in the lab. working on a plastic beer bottle that may increase shelf life to 18 Tissue engineers at Touro College (New York City) and at the months.'” Medical University of South Carolina (USA) are experimenting * Kodak, best known for producing camera film, is using nanotech to develop antimicrobial — = ] i: : os j-| ~~~ packaging for food products that will be “7 | Pan PAcIFi¢c p= commercially available in 2005. Kodak is | 7 ] also developing other "active packaging" wane! ercr eat [NA NoTECAMO LOGY, j which absorbs oxygen, thereby keeping ; - food fresh.!” —— "4 * Scientists at Kraft as well as at Rutgers University and the University of Connecticut are working on nanoparticle films and other packaging with embedded sensors that will detect food pathogens. Called "electronic tongue" technology, the sensors can detect substances in parts per trillion and would trigger a colour change in the packaging to alert the consumer if a food has become contaminated or if it has begun to spoil.'” * Researchers in The Netherlands are going one step further to develop intelli- gent packaging that will release a preserv- ative if the food within begins to spoil. This "release on command" preservative packaging is operated by means of a la) "Here, take one of our promotional DVDs." with growing meat by "marinating" fish myoblast (muscle) cells in liquid nutrients to encourage the cells to divide and multiply on their own. The first goal is to keep astronauts in space from going hungry.'* At the next stage of molecular manufacturing, food synthesis could occur directly, without growing crops or livestock. 20 + NEXUS "Here, take one of our promotional DVDs." www.nexusmagazine.com AUGUST — SEPTEMBER 2005