nanotechnology in agriculture and food systems · biological & environmental engineering...

Nanotechnology in Agriculture and Food Systems

Dr. Norman R Scott

Biological & Environmental Engineering

Cornell UniversityCornell University

[email protected]

Sede della conferenza

Universitá delgi Studi di Milano

Facoltá di Medicina Veterinaria

March 26, 2010

Evolution of nanotechnology in agriculture and food

� Agriculture not a part of the original 1999

Report which led to the creation of the

National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI)

� Recent meeting in Chicago, March 9 &

10, 2010 to create a new vision &

direction for nanotechnology for next

decade (2010 – 2020).

� Nanoscale science and engineering for

agriculture and food is included (I hope!)

�� NNI expenditures* have grown from $464 NNI expenditures* have grown from $464

million in FY ‘01 to million in FY ‘01 to more than more than $1.6 billion in $1.6 billion in FY ‘10.FY ‘10.

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000$

mil

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� * All numbers shown above are actual spending, except 2009, which is estimated

spending for the current year (including $140 million in ARRA funding), and 2010, which is requested amount for next year.

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2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

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Brief Background Agric/Food

� Significance of agriculture/food industry

Price of food-borne illnesses� Price of food-borne illnesses

� The Agri-food System

� Road mapping exercise 2002 – 2003 (Nanoscale Science and Engineering for Agriculture and Food System)

Economic Impact

The total spent for all food consumed in the U.S. was $1,165.3 billion dollars in 2008, a 3.3 percent increase from $1,128.0 billion in 2005. The ERS/USDA indicates that spending on food away indicates that spending on food away from home was 48.5% of the $1,165.3 billion in total food expenditures in 2008—spending for food at home was51.5%. Families spent 9.8 percent of their disposable personal income on food—as disposable personal income continues to climb, the share spent on food declines.

USA pays price for food-borne illness: $152B/year

� Estimates

� 76 M food-related illnesses per year

� 325,000 hospitalizations

� 5,000 deaths� 5,000 deaths

Costs include an estimation of medical services, deaths, lost work and disability

campylobacter, salmonella, listeria (largest)

Scharff, The Health Related Costs of Foodborne Illiness, http://www.producesafetyproject.org/media?id=0009

“Over the next two decades, the impact of nanoscale convergence on farmers and food will exceed that of farm food will exceed that of farm mechanization or that of the Green Revolution”

etc group

Organizing Principle: Agrifood Supply Chain

Input

SupplyFarming/

RanchingProcessing

WholesaleRetail

At home

Transport

Various types and combinations of

nanotechnologies may be applied at any

given point along supply chain.

A National Planning Workshop:

NANOSCALE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERINGFOR AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMSNANOSCALE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERINGFOR AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS

Workshop November 2002Report September 2003

www.nseafs.cornell.eduNorman R. Scott, Cornell University

Hongda Chen, USDA

NRI 75.0 Funding Statistics FY 2004 2005 2006* 2008**

Submission 74 66 65 70

Funded 8 7 12 19

Suc. Rate 11% 11% 18% 27%Suc. Rate 11% 11% 18% 27%

Total ($M) 1.432 2.873 2.500 5.000

Young Sci 5(asst.prof) 2 5 8

LGUs 7 7 8 19

Others 1 0 4 0

�*The revised RFA based on the logic model for ten year program planning.

�**Combined two year funding for a singly solicitation.

Present / Future Directions for Present / Future Directions for NanoNano--technology in Agriculture and Food Systems technology in Agriculture and Food Systems

� The “re-engineering” of crops, animals and other living systems at the genetic and cellular level

� Development of efficient, “smart” and self-replicating production tech-self-replicating production tech-nologies and inputs

� Development of tools and systems for identification, tracking & monitoring

� Manufacture new materials and modify crops, animals & food products

Present / Future Directions for Present / Future Directions for NanoNano--technology in Agriculture and Food Systemstechnology in Agriculture and Food Systems

� Food quality and safety

� Animals health monitoring

� Plant systems

� Environmental applications

� Social and ethical issues


Food quality and safety� presence of residues, trace chemicals, viruses,

antibiotics, pathogens, toxins,

� integrated, rapid DNA sequencing to identify genetic variation and GMO’s,

� integrity of food during production, transportation and � integrity of food during production, transportation and storage

� reduce calories while retaining flavor, lowered fat, reduced salt, less sugar, improved texture

� enhancing bioavailability and delivery of neutraceuticals, increased vitamin and nutrient content

� improvements in food manufacturing processes

� advances in food packaging and food contact materials for quality assessment and enhanced shelf life (eliminate need for refrigerated storage)


Animal Health monitoring & management

� developmental biology,

� presence of residues, antibiotics, pathogens, toxins,

� disease detection, diagnosis, therapy and � disease detection, diagnosis, therapy and prevention, (example 3/25 of bovine tuberculosis in beef herd – 67 farms w/in 10 mile radius have to be tested)

� integrated health monitoring/ with therapeutic intervention

� identity tracking

� lessen greenhouse gas emissions from livestock and manure management


Plant Systems

� “smart field systems” to detect, locate, report and direct application of water

� precision and controlled release of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicidespesticides and herbicides

� bio-selective surfaces for early detection of pests and pathogens

� laboratory-on-a-chip proteomics technology for microbial biocontrol agents

� development of enhanced plant characteristics of drought resistance, salt tolerance, excess moisture tolerance

Environmental applications

� nanophase soil additives (fertilizers, pesticides and soil conditioners)

� nanoparticles in transport and deliver bioavailabilty of nutrients to plants

��Present/Future Directions for Present/Future Directions for NanoNano--technology in Agriculture and Food Systemstechnology in Agriculture and Food Systems

bioavailabilty of nutrients to plants

� understand soil as a complex nanocomposite

� land, water and air pollution (detection and remediation)

� tracking hydraulic and nutrient flows in the landscape

Goals for the next decade� Successful nanobiotechnology

sensors for identification of pathogens, toxins and bacteria in foods, plants & animals

� Effective systems for delivery of � Effective systems for delivery of micronutrients, nutraceuticals and vitamins in foods for enhanced human health

� Nanoscale films for food packaging and contact materials that extend shelf life, retained quality and reduce cooling requirements

Goals for the next decade� Identification systems for tracking animal and

plant materials from origination to consumption

� Development of nano-based foods with less calories while retaining flavor, lowered fat, calories while retaining flavor, lowered fat, reduced salt, less sugar and improved texture

� Integrated systems for sensing, monitoring and active response intervention for plant and animal production

� “Personalized nutrition” to meet very specific individualized health needs

� Plants / animals develop nano-based systems for bioenergy (e.g. photosystems)

�Barcode decoding via fluorescent microscopy

�3G/1R

�2G/2R

�4R

�4G

�1G/3R

� Y. Li, Y. Cu and D. Luo, Nature Biotechnology, 23, 885-889, (2005)

� Um. et. al. Nature Protocols

�1G/3R�2G/2R

�3G/1R

Long range (end of 2100) goal

Way down the road one can envision that food could be produced by a “bottoms up” nanobiotechnology approach through a building of molecules, atom through a building of molecules, atom by atom!! Not likely to happen very soon, but after all food is just an assemblage of molecules arranged in a specific structure.

Barriers to advancements� Potential rejection by public

� Food is socially very sensitive

“Shoot it in my veins but don’t make me eat it.”

� Lack of regulations? standards? A need or not because GRAS foodsnot because GRAS foods

� Public perception “reactive engagement”

Little to no participation in technical applications, product development

� Insufficient research funding to capitalize on potential opportunities

� Resistance of food companies to engage & communicate about their research & products

Barriers to advancement� Unknown effects on environmental,

health and biodiversity? Where do particles go?

� Ownership and control issues?

Who benefits? Poor are most � Who benefits? Poor are most vulnerable.

� Consolidation of corporate power, marginalizes farmers’ rights

� Lack of effective public/private partner-ships (companies, academe & gov’t)

AFRI: Nanoscale Science and Engineering

� FY 2009 Priorities – Anticipated Major Changes in FY 2010

� Nanoscale recognition, reception, and transmission mechanisms and novel materials for developing nano-based sensors specifically for targets important to food safety and agriculture biosecurity.

� Novel nanoscale processes, materials, and systems with improved delivery efficacy, controlled release, modification of sensory attributes, and protection of micronutrients and of sensory attributes, and protection of micronutrients and functional ingredients suitable for food matrices.

� Understanding nanoscale phenomena and processes to support the development of nano-based technologies for food and agricultural product quality monitoring, identity tracking, and preservation.

� NEW: Assessment and analysis of perceptions and acceptance of nanotechnology and nano-based products by the general public, agriculture, and food stakeholders using appropriate social science tools.

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Disease Diagnosis & TreatmentNanosized, multipurpose sensors are

being developed to detect almost everything from physiological parameters (blood pressure, temperature, heart and respiration rates, pH, etc.) to toxic compounds. The veterinarian will be able to know The veterinarian will be able to know the status of every animal’s physiological condition and levels of certain compounds. The implantable sensor once swallowed or implanted will continue to send data through out the life of the animal and later after slaughter to track animal products.

Cornell Work (ECE)

Identity PreservationIdentity Preservation (IP) is a system that creates

increased value by providing consumers with information about the practices and activities used to produce agricultural, particularly, animal products.

Keys are biodegradable sensors for a historical Keys are biodegradable sensors for a historical record of both physical and biological parameters. The future of the meat industry may well depend on an ability to track the product from birth through growth and through movement from farm to slaughter through processing to packaging and ultimately to the consumer’s table.

Animal BreedingThe nanotubes are used as a means of

tracking estrus in animals because thenanotubes have the capacity to bind anddetect the estradiol antibody at the timeof estrus by near infrared fluorescence.The signal from this sensor will beincorporated as a part of a centralincorporated as a part of a centralmonitoring and control system to actuatebreeding. The natural follow up would beto have an implanted nanocapsule ofsemen triggered on demand to fertilize anegg.

CONCLUSIONS (Nanobiotech)

� An enabling technoloy

� Revolutionize veterinary science

� Many examples of possibilities (primarily from medicine)

Existing research demonstrates � Existing research demonstrates introduction of nanoshells & nanotubes

� Building blocks exist and can/will/are being integrated into commercial products

� Food safety/health & social and ethical issues can delay or derail advancements

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nanotechnology in agriculture and food systems · biological & environmental engineering...

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