Nanotechnology for food and other industries is receiving strong support in the Basque region of Spain, with cash being channelled to researchers through the EU Framework 7 research funding programme.

Thats according to Dr Yolanda de Miguel, research and development project manager working on nanostructured and eco-efficient materialsat Tecnalia Research & Innovations construction unit, sustainable development divisin.

The group is exploring a wide variety of pan industry studies, including nanotechnology, which de Miguel told FoodNavigator has broad applications for the food industry.

Some scientists are looking at ways of using nanotechnology to block cholesterol from entering the bloodstream. Others are looking at applying it to the area of food safety, using antimicrobial coatings for work surfaces.

'Bettering packaging'

Others are exploring its potential for use in packaging materials to extendproductshelf life, for example.Its being explored in bettering packagingby increasing its oxygen-barrier properties,"saidDr. de Miguel.

Major food brands such as Nestl, Unilever, Kraft and Heinz were known to be investigating nanotechnology and the Basque research would help support such endeavours, she said.

One of her major areas of focusat present is developingnano-coatingsfor different types ofsurfaces,which would in a sense make them self-cleaning. The coatings use nanoparticles of titanium dioxide, which at that size become translucent and react with oxygenand water moleculesin air to release high energy radicals, which destroy the cell wall of harmful microbes.These hydroxyl radicalswill alsodegradeorganic material on the surface, which meansthat the surfacestays clean for longer,said de Miguel.

Hydrophilic

Coating nanoparticlesof titanium dioxideonto a given surface can also make it hydrophilic, whichmeans water canbe used more easily to washit,plusthe surface does not show water droplets remaining on it as the droplets run easily off them.

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Basque region backs nanotechnology research