The Impact of Nanotechnology on the Food and Drink Market to 2015

The Impact of Nanotechnology on the Food and Drink to 2015 provides an in depth look at how nanotechnology is impacting and will continue to impact the food and drink sector.

• Key Applications and market opportunity to 2015
• Global revenue forecasts
• Key nanotechnologies
• Key trends and drivers
• Key players

The nanoscale is not new to the food and beverage sector, with various phenomena already witnessed and exploited in nutraceutical and functional food formulation, manufacturing, and processing. Colloid science, for example, has been applied to food materials for a long time. An array of food and beverages contain components that are nanoscale in size and in processing (dairy for example), the manipulation of naturally occurring nanoparticles is involved. However, it is only recently that novel applications have come under investigation for new functionalities and efficient delivery mechanisms for food and beverages.

New tools and processes are allowing researchers greater understanding of areas such as the mechanisms of targeted delivery that will potentially lead to smart delivery for both optimization of human health and novel physical, visual and sensory effects. Potential applications include food that can alter its colour, flavour or nutrients to suit each consumer' s preference or health requirements; filters that can take out toxins or modify flavours by sifting through certain molecules based on their shape instead of size; and packaging that can detect when its contents are spoiling, and change colour to warn consumers. The understanding of food materials and food processing at the nanoscale is important in order to create new and improved food products.

The global market for nanotechnology in the food and drink industry is around US$405 million in 2007, mainly in the packaging area. Few nano-based products are marketed in other areas of the sector and those coming onto the market will likely be first used at the processing stage. It is forecast that nano-based products and processes will be worth US$4.135 billion to the food and drink industry by 2015.

The main percentage of revenue for the “nanotechnology market” will be generated by packaging, although by 2015 the sector will have progressed from simple barrier protection to interactive and smart packaging. Nutrient and flavour delivery is still a grey area at present due to uncertain consumer perceptions of nanotechnology in foods; however R&D is underway at large food companies-these companies are also keen to incorporate nano into processing equipment applications.

• Nutrient and Flavour Delivery 19%
• Agricultural Production 4%
• Processing and Safety 29%
• Packaging 49%

• Nanoporous Membranes 8&
• Nanocomposites 27%
• Nanoparticles 12%
• Nanosensors 17%
• Nanocoatings 23%
• Nanocapsules 13%