Nanotechnology is the development of new products and processes using matter with dimensions in the range of approximately 0.1 to 100 nanometres.  A nanometre is one-billionth of a metre (or one-millionth of a millimetre), making this truly the ‘science of the small’.  To put this in perspective, the width of one atom is approximately one-tenth of a nanometre, a DNA molecule is about 2.5 nanometres wide and the thickness of a human hair is approximately 80,000 nanometres. 

In the food and beverage industries, the precise separation of particles is increasingly important in the production of beer, apple juice and numerous dairy products. Membrane filtration is a good example of a simple and efficient technology used to enhance food quality with excellent future prospects

There’s a new discipline in town: genomics, a new field of science that analyzes and compares the complete genome (genetic material of an organism) of organisms or a large number of genes in a simultaneous fashion. When the media commented on the success of the human genome project, everybody expected genomics to greatly improve medicine. Now genomics is also entering food production and processing. Microorganisms play important roles in our foods. Microbial Genomics can help us understand what microorganisms do and how they do it, in ways that were not previously possible, helping us to better understand how they can be manipulated for our benefit. Future foods will benefit from more efficient, less costly processing methods, better quality, enhanced freshness and longer shelf lives.

Despite being approved by international experts such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), food irradiation has been slow to gain acceptance in Europe. The problem seems to lie in poor communication of just what the technology involves and the benefits it can offer in improving the safety of the food supply

Food packaging is something that we rarely think about unless the package is torn or damaged in some way. Yet packaging is an important component of the foods we buy. Not only does packaging protect food from external contamination; it also serves a whole host of other functions.

Salting and drying are two of the earliest methods of treating foods to help preserve freshness and improve flavour. Over the years, improved techniques for processing foods have resulted in the expansion of our food supply by prolonging keeping times, preventing spoilage and increasing the variety of food products available. This is the first in a series of articles in which Food Today will look at various technologies used today and the benefits they offer in improving the food supply

Foods made with fermentation technology have been around for thousands of years. In previous Food Today articles we explained the importance of yeasts and lactic acid bacteria. This time we focus on several less well known micro-organisms, also used in making common foods and food additives.

We do not eat simply to fuel our bodies. Food has long been an important part of our social and cultural lives. Today, there is also a tendency to view food as a tool to maintain and improve our health. As more and more people indicate their preference for “health-enhancing” foods, “functional foods” containing special ingredients are taking increasing space on supermarket shelves.

We all know that microbes are involved in food spoilage and food poisoning. What is less known is that besides these harmful bacteria (pathogens) there are also beneficial micro-organisms essential to our existence, and which add taste and variety to our diets

Electronic noses, sophisticated sensors that create digital fingerprints of smells, are being used by an increasing number of industries for quality control and product development. Food manufacturers may now be about to follow suit.

Which kitchen does not possess a microwave oven today? It heats that cup of milk, cooks a tasty snack or thaws out the chicken earmarked for Sunday lunch. A relatively recent development, the microwave oven is widespread in European households. In an environment of social change, where working women spend less time preparing meals, the microwave oven is a welcome solution. As well as conventionally made meals, it cooks the plethora of ready-to-eat foods now available on the market. Although a fairly modern invention, the microwave is now a familiar appliance.

"From Farm to Fork", EUFIC's fact pack on food safety and hygiene, looks at the different stages of the complex system from the farmer to the consumer. In this issue of Food Today, we look at the role of food processing in providing consumers with safe, enjoyable food.