Nanoparticles Come A Long Way Benefitting - Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Nanoparticles Come A Long Way Benefitting? Answer: Introduction Nanoparticles have come a long way in benefitting humans after the initiation of its application in the field of food technology. Particles of different size and materials are widely being used for their properties to in food technology with respect to predetermined set goals like shelf-life, flavour, taste, appearance and preferences of consumers. Continual research is being carried out to understand completely the concerns related to such use of particles along with the benefits provided with them (Kumar, 2015). Taking this opportunity to inform the public on the advanced role of particles in food technology, an informative piece would be presented on the usefulness and concerns related to the latest development of the use of nanoparticles such as calcium and zinc in the packaging of food. The paper would provide a concise introduction to the topic and a summative analysis of the science and technology behind the process. It would also highlight the bottleneck of the process and an y safety and the environmental issue raised. Background and significance Speaking in general terms, nanomaterials used in packaging of foods consider the use of nanofilms that act as barriers to the prevention of spoilage of food and oxygen absorption. The common packaging in which nanomaterials are used as carrying bags, sandwich bags and aluminium foils. Active food packaging permits a ready interaction between food and packaging material, preventing antimicrobial growth. Nanoparticles such as zinc, silver and calcium are now being used as antimicrobial agents for the prevention of microbial spoilage of food. These particles are commonly being incorporated as edible film integrated with oregano oil or cinnamon oil in the food packaging. Antimicrobial activity of ZnO powder coated PVC film when examined under different conditions have been proved to be effective for different organisms. With the respect of food pathogens, the success achieved is considerably impressive as the electrostatic interaction between bacterial cell surface and nanoparticles inhi bits optimally the growth of pathogens (Bumbudsanpharoke et al., 2015). Echegoyen and Nern (2013) in their research point out that studies on the effect of ZnO NPs concerning E. Coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus niger indicate high antimicrobial and antifungal properties. Science and technology behind the process Carbone et al., (2016) highlight that metal ions have been discovered to be used as nanoparticles that are incorporated into diverse polymer systems in food packaging. Nano technology is depending on the incorporation of multiple organic as well as inorganic nanoparticles into polymer matrix so that improvement of material properties is achieved. The highly achieved antimicrobial activity of such ions when they are on nano dimension can be applied to a wide range of microorganisms. The mostly used nanoparticle is silver ions whose antimicrobial activity was been much appreciated. Other nanoparticles include Ag/Chitosan, SiO2, ZnO and nanoclay. Chitosan which is a form of polysaccharide has an antimicrobial agent against microorganisms including that are both Gram-positive and Gram-negative. The researchers analysed the impact of silver nanoparticles as antimicrobial agents along with that of chitosan in a composite structure with polylactic acid. The process involves surface modifica tion brought about in the polymer matrix for activation of antimicrobial components. The system forms a noteworthy example of synergetic approach where the idea is to achieve improvement in material properties through the influence of two materials and come up with packaging solutions. Silver nanoparticles when injected into Agar banana powder lead to important antimicrobial activity against microbes such as Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes. The other advantages are water barrier properties, augmented UV light absorption and enhanced antioxidant properties. Nanosized metal oxides have also been reported to act as antimicrobial agents when these are included in a polymer matrix (Radusin et al., 2016). Speaking precisely, ZnO is a good antimicrobial agent apart from improving the thermal property of polymers. Some of the microbes against which these are effective are Bacillus subtilis, Enterobacter aerogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and L. monocytogenes. Nanoclay, in modified forms, is a nanparticle bringing about improvement in properties of materials. They can be made to disperse in matrices of diverse properties owing to their high swelling and water absorption capacity. Nanoparticles of curcumin are also antimicrobial in property and aggregation can be avoided while using these when powder form is used. Such particles are water soluble though the antimicrobial property is more than that of powder. They also reduce gram-positive bacteria as compared to gram-negative bacteria. The particles used are commonly 10 to 20 nm in size. Though bigger particles are also used, the maximum size is 100 nm (Rosi et al., 2017). Current concern of the process The concerns related to the application of nanoparticles is also to be mentioned in this context. Ntim and Noonan (2017) point out that though silver nanoparticles decrease the presence of microbial agents, the mechanical properties might be decreased. In addition, the migration of the particles to the food has been time and again researched on. Other concerns include separation of the nanoparticles from materials used for packaging and impact of resuing of the materials on environment and humans. Alhendi and Choudhary (2013) in this regard that particles migrating into the food and consumed by humans can lead to health complications. Inhalation of the particles is also a concern since these are very small in size and penetration into the lungs and bloodstream is possible. Toxicity is also probable when the nanoparticles engage in a reaction with oxygen, leading to an increase in oxidative stress. It is expected that a backlash would come from the high scale use of nanoparticles in t he food industry. One eminent factor is that nanoparticles pose certain risks that are not posed by particles of bigger size. Fears are inevitable when such particles are used with a coating that is edible. Customers will be satisfied if the particles are found only in packaging and not in the food that might bring about changes in the body system. The emergence of nanotechnology has created new demands on the area of legislation. It is evident that there is a limitation in the extent of adoption of advanced nanotechnology among the food industry. The reasons for the same are limited acceptance from the consumers side and safety issues. There is a lack of published results on studies that highlight the accurate impact on the human body of nanoparticles (Pulizzi, 2016). Conclusion Coming to the end of this paper it is to be mentioned that particles, when used in diverse ways, have the potential to influence how food products are manufactured and processed at present. The antimicrobial systems have been found to be effective due to their high surface-to-volume ratio combined with the surface reactivity of antimicrobial agents. Microorganisms are inactivated in a more effective manner than the micro-scale features. Products can be exploited while formulating healthcare, personal and industrial applications. Functionalization and wide-scale implementation of the same needs rigorous analysis of the risks associated with these processes. References Alhendi, A., Choudhary, R. (2013). Current Practices in Bread Packaging and Possibility of Improving Bread Shelf-life by Nano-technology.INT J Food SCI Nutr,3, 55-60. Bumbudsanpharoke, N., Choi, J., Ko, S. (2015). Applications of nanomaterials in food packaging.Journal of nanoscience and nanotechnology,15(9), 6357-6372. Carbone, M., Donia, D. T., Sabbatella, G., Antiochia, R. (2016). Silver nanoparticles in polymeric matrices for fresh food packaging.Journal of King Saud University-Science,28(4), 273-279. Echegoyen, Y., Nern, C. (2013). Nanoparticle release from nano-silver antimicrobial food containers.Food and Chemical Toxicology,62, 16-22. Kumar, L. Y. (2015). Role and adverse effects of nanomaterials in food technology.Journal of Toxicology and Health,2(1), 2. Ntim, S. A., Noonan, G. O. (2017). Nanotechnology in Food Packaging. InNanotechnologies in Food(pp. 118-142). Pulizzi, F. (2016). Nanotechnology and food: What people think.Nature Nanotechnology. Radusin, T. I., Risti?, I. S., Pili?, B. M., Novakovi?, A. R. (2016). Antimicrobial nanomaterials for food packaging applications.Food and Feed Research,43(2), 119-126. Rossi, M., Passeri, D., Sinibaldi, A., Angjellari, M., Tamburri, E., Sorbo, A., ... Dini, L. (2017). Chapter Five-Nanotechnology for Food Packaging and Food Quality Assessment.Advances in Food and Nutrition Research,82, 149-204.