9 Commercialization Consideration
9.9 Commercial Applications
Nanoparticulates, nanodevices, products containing or constructed using nanomate-rials or containing nanostructures, nanomachines, and nanoelectronic components are commercial applications of nanotechnology. These developments are key
Fig. 9.8 Challenges to development and commercialization
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drivers for the commercialization of all highly promising and safe medically-directed nanotechnologies. It is necessary that critical aspects of successful com-mercialization be realized early such as appropriately identifying and analyzing markets to a specific technology, developing project teams and plans in order to achieve the potential for new and developing nanotechnologies. For the develop-ment of any nanoproduct, proper attention on these critical eledevelop-ments is essential to succeed in commercialization (Hobson 2009; Mahdavinejad et al. 2014).
The application and commercialization of nanotechnologies are predictable to cut across established knowledge, technological and organizational boundaries and might disrupt traditional industries. This suggests that the ability to integrate knowl-edge, such as scientific, technological, commercial, regulatory, distributed across professional groups, companies and research organizations, is essential for nano-technology development (Von Raesfeld et al. 2012). Applications include farming technologies and inputs, food processing, food packaging and retailing (Scrinis and Lyons 2007). Table 9.4 shows the transition from basic nanomaterials to commer-cial applications.
In this chapter we tried to introduce commercialization of nanotechnology and propose strategies for nanotechnology-based product marketing. Public concern grows with the increasing market trend of nanomaterial because of possible damage
Table 9.4 Stages from basic nanomaterials to commercial applications
Stage Examples
Nano material or nanostructure
Nano-transistors Copper nano-wires Protein nanoparticles Nano products Improved
semiconductor
Lithium-ion batteries
Carriers of drugs Development of
nanoproducts
Computers or small phones
More powerful battery for vehicles
Development of cancer cells of drug
Fig. 9.9 Investors’ concerns: selection between conventional products and nanoproducts 9.9 Commercial Applications
to human and environmental health. Many research studies have established the probable migration behavior of nanomaterials from the matrix, but some experi-mental studies have confirmed that the migrated nanoparticles are low in relation to other migration rates. The lack of knowledge on human and environmental health effects and risk evaluation may limit the number of nanomaterial consumption in industry. Developing, testing and analyzing of new nano-products is essential to develop and preserve public as investor confidence.
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H. Jafarizadeh-Malmiri et al., Nanobiotechnology in Food: Concepts, Applications and Perspectives, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05846-3_10
Future Prospects of Nanobiotechnology
Nanotechnology and biotechnology enjoy a great deal of overlap in many research laboratories. Nanobiotechnology, as the name suggests, refers to the interface between, and convergence of, nano- and biotechnology. It is a multitude of various disciplines such as chemistry, physics, biology and engineering (Fakruddin et al.
2012). Main applications and opportunities of nanotechnology in the agri-food sec-tor is shown in Fig. 10.1.
Nanoscale control of food molecules could allow the modification of many mac-roscale characteristics of foods such as texture, sensory attributes, processability and shelf life. The tools of nanotechnology have already allowed scientists to better understand the way in which food components are structured and how they interact with each other. This understanding is expected to enable a more precise manipula-tion of food molecules for the design of healthier, tastier and safer foods.
Development of biosensors for pathogen and contaminant detection in food prod-ucts helps ensure the safety of the food supply. Furthermore, conversion of renew-able agricultural materials or food waste into energy and useful by-products is an environmentally oriented area of research that could be greatly enhanced by bio-technology (Moraru et al. 2009; Patel et al. 2018).
Nanomaterials can be utilized to make packaging that keeps the items inside fresher for longer. Insightful food packaging utilizing nanosensors could even furnish consumers with data on the condition of the food inside. Food packaging materials can be produced with nanoparticles that can alert buyers when an item is no longer safe to eat. Sensors can caution before the food product spoils or can tell us the precise nutritional status contained in the substance (Sundarraj et al. 2014). Embedding bio-active mixes and probiotic microscopic organisms inside prebiotic substances to ensure, or even increase, their survival while passing the upper gastrointestinal tract is a field of extraordinary enthusiasm for both the scholarly world and food businesses.
An example of this innovation involves packaging bioactive mixes in micro- or nano-scaled particles that disconnect them and control their discharge until particular con-ditions arise. Electrospun nanofibres can likewise be utilized as the conveyance
154
framework in food supplements to secure them amid handling and storage, or in con-veyance frameworks for exchanging the segments to a distant site in the body. Finally, many sustenance-grade polymer frameworks (i.e. natural sustenance hydrocolloids) are difficult to create with electrospinning because of their poor viscoelastic conduct, absence of adequate atomic ensnarement, and constrained dissolvability. Generally, because just several handling parameters can be controlled straightforwardly as a por-tion of the included parameters are either exceppor-tionally associated or obtained from the properties of the utilized polymer arrangement. Modern created electrospun nano-fibres achieve a dimensional spread of the request of 10 rate focuses or worse among ostensibly identical specimens. Along these lines, a principle test related with the large-scale manufacturing of nanofiber fabrics is the execution of systems permitting improvements in the procedure and item reproducibility and to develop classes of utilizable materials (Chung et al. 2017; Gouveia 2010).
At present, the food industry is trying to identify opportunities and the most promising discoveries in nanobiotechnology that can significantly enhance food processing and food products. A limited number of applications that deal with mat-ter at the nanoscale and are relevant to the food sector are currently available, and can be categorized in two groups: (1) functionalized membranes, which could be used to isolate and purify highly sensitive bioactive compounds and (2) nano- structuring technologies, such as emulsification, dispersion and nano-aeration, or the encapsulation of bioactive compounds in food polymer matrices. The fabrica-tion of food biopolymer, based nano-structured materials with unique mechanical and functional properties, the synthesis of liposomes, which can be used for the encapsulation and targeted delivery of bioactive compounds through foods, or the development of nanosensors for pathogen detection, are all viewed as a starting point for the integration of nanobiotechnology into food science and food technol-ogy (Moraru et al. 2009; Weiss et al. 2006).
Nanotechnology
Primary Production Food Processing Food Packaging
Smart packaging
Active packaging
Detection Sensors Antimicrobials
Animals Plants
Nutrition & Feed
Nutraceutical Nutrient
delivery Insulation Sanitisation
Novel products (Improved taste/texture/colour) Vitamin & mineral
fortification
Processing Equipment Fortification Diagnostic Smart
sensors Detection Nano-formulated
agrichemicals
Fig. 10.1 Main applications and opportunities of nanotechnology in agri-food sector (Handford et al. 2014)