Panel views "healthy donuts" via nano-tech

European food companies already use nano-technology in consumer products, but few volunteer the information to consumers, said Dutch  food scientist Frans Kampers. He was 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." Dr Kampers from Wageningen University and  Research Center in the Netherlands took a look at food science issues in  his presentation, "What Nanotechnology Can Do for Your Average Donut."

"On the food side there is greater public resistance to nano-materials  and nanotechnology in food whereas on the biomedical side there is  greater public acceptance or less recalcitrance," said Rod Hill, a  University of Idaho professor and symposium organizer.

His focus on applications, products and processes, and on sensors useful  for in food safety and food quality monitoring and in packaging,  reflects the wide range of nano-technology's use in the food industry,  Dr Kampers said.