Nano Food - Near your Fridge

‘Techno-fear’ has always pulled back the common people from accepting new inventions in the field of technology. The protest of this kind that existed against computers and mobile phones has now vanished. They have now become the part of human kind. So is the fear towards the use of nano-technology in food. Though use of nano-technology is widely accepted in other fields including computer chips and even cosmetics, nano-foods are not gaining wide acceptance.
Nano-technology – the new wave at the shore of technological boom is the applied science and technology, which control the matters smaller than one micrometer. The era of nano-technology is now finding its way out. The most enhanced development of nano-technology is in the field of food and agriculture in India.
Nano-foods, simply means the normally used food, but produced using nano-technology. Improved food processing, packaging and safety, enhanced flavor and nutrition are the promising fields of food technology where nano-technology can overrule.
The potential benefits of the nano-foods are now a subject of detailed study. Scientists and researchers are pulling up the rope of nano-foods. The food industry in many developed countries like America and Britain etc and developing countries like India is now investing many millions of dollars in nano-technology research and development. Many corporate sectors are progressing in the development of nano-foods.
Nevertheless, nano-foods do not get enough publicity and acceptance due to some misconceptions among common people. People often think that nano-foods are foods produced by some atomic modifications and can contain some chemical substances. They also think that these foods may bring about some health hazards. People find it more difficult to opt nano-foods because of these insecure doubts.
The fact is that, nano-foods have nothing to do with such atomic modifications in food. The food is said to be nano-food when nano-particles, nano-technology techniques or tools are used during cultivation, production, processing and packaging of food.
This misconception of the nano-foods is a hurdle for the development of nano-technology in food production. It can be overcome if the major resource people and the government come forward by promoting the knowledge of nano-technology. Studies in nano-foods and their benefits should be given more importance. In this scenario of increased population and rising unemployment in India, the mass production of any product using nano-technology can make a great difference.
Debates are going, on the safety and regulations of nano-foods. How far it can gain publicity and acceptance among the people is left to the future. Anyway, scientists and researchers are finding ways to bring the technology into our fridge door. In an agricultural country like India, the economic conditions can be developed by introducing nano-technology into the fields of cultivation and production. Time ask to wait and see whether this booming technology will bring the nano-foods on our dining table in the upcoming years.