Homer Simpson's Dream Come True

Although I rarely comment on this blog about developments in early generation nanotechnology, this one is just too delicious to pass up...

Dutch food scientist Frans Kampers is among the panelists gathered in Chicago for the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting symposium "From Donuts to Drugs: Nano-Biotechnology Evolution or Revolution."

Kampers, from Wageningen University and Research Center in the Netherlands, will take a look at food science issues in his presentation, "What Nanotechnology Can Do for Your Average Donut."

"The problem I always face is that people do not understand what we are doing with nanotechnology and food," Kampers said. "Everyone has this vision of nanotechnology being nanoparticles and nanoparticles being risky, so they are very afraid that nanoparticles in food will have an adverse effect on health."

The promise of nanotechnology, the Dutch scientist said, is that it could allow re-engineering ingredients to bring healthy nutrients more efficiently to the body while allowing less-desirable components to pass on through.

European food scientists use nanotechnology to create structures in foods that can deliver nutrients to specific locations in the body for the most beneficial effects, Kampers said.

"We are basically creating nanostructures in food that are designed to fall apart in your body because of digestion so in the end there will not be nanoparticles," Kampers said.

If they're doing taste tests, I'd like to volunteer!

Mike Treder