BRIEFING: Nanotechnology in the food industry

A low-fat ice cream with the scrumptious flavour of a full-fat version; cooking oils that contain less harmful fats; and encapsulated pills embedded in your bread that give you extra vitamins – the food manufacturing industry is at the start of a long journey with nanotechnology. This months briefing looks at the benefits and challenges nanotechnology can bring to the food industry. We include a chapter on key ways nanotechnology will effect packaging, discuss the possible new regulations that could be brought in to deal with nanotech products, and give an overview of the latest research.