The future is bright in nanotongue

While the special properties of these microscopic particles are being exploited in food packaging in the US and Germany, the same is not yet true for the UK, according to Dr Alan Smith, md of technology consultancy AZ-Tech and Dr Kathy Groves, project manager for food innovation at Leatherhead Food Research.

To date, said Smith, clay nanoparticles had been used to provide barrier resistance in plastic bottles, preventing air ingress and flavour loss in beer, for example; as well as providing antimicrobial properties on the surfaces of fridge interiors and reusable plastic food containers.

However, Smith cited the use of functional nanotechnology coatings as a particularly exciting field of research. Developments will be seen in areas such as food spoilage detection and smart sensors to show signs of the presence of pathogens such as Salmonella and Listeria.

Groves said smart nanosensors would provide product tamper proofing as well as shelf-life status and an indication of the ripeness of packaged fruits. Smart sensors based on nanotechnology would eventually result in the 'electronic tongue'