230
Major Advances
Here we review the possibility of naturally occurring nanomaterials existence in
food. The routes of engineered nanomaterials entry through the ecosystem to the
plant and animal food and their bioaccumulation and biomagnification are delineated. Despite the limitations in nanomaterial toxicity assessment, awareness about
nanomaterial’s movement through different trophic levels and their effects on food
animals and plants might help the risk analysis of these particles in the food chain.
Keywords Nanomaterial · Food chain · Ecosystem · Impact · Toxicity
9.1 Preface
After the first industrial revolution in the mid-eighteenth century, nothing could
mark a major turning point in the global economic empire as much as nano-industry
by now. Industries invested billions of dollars in nanotechnology innovations, and
its trading value is assumed to reach approximately $3 trillion by the year 2020
(Roco et al. 2011). Nanotechnology seems to be the magic lamp, so it has the power
to prevail over all of the barriers and make everything possible in all industries
including the food production scope. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
defined various nanotech-related products in different food sectors (Hardy et al.
2018). According to the nano-database (http://nanodb.dk/), 3037 nanotechnologyderived food products are available on the market for customers in 2018; therefore,
it is not surprising that in countries with hi-technologies, it is estimated that billions
of nanoparticles have been consumed daily by people, and this number will be
increased obviously in near future (Rompelberg et al. 2016).
As it is shown in Fig. 9.1, the wide range of engineered nanomaterials or manmade nanomaterials in food is a part of the story of human’s exposure to nanoparticles. It is well established that in some food manufacturing processes, especially
those which used pressure or laser in some steps, new endogenous molecular structures have been created accidentally as food-borne or process-generated nanoparticles (Brody et al. 2008). Results of a study in 2018 have approved the presence of
5 nm fluorescent nanoparticles in the most worldwide popular beverages (Li et al.
2018). Application of intentionally manufactured nanomaterials in plant and animal
husbandry is one of the major causes of increasing food-related risks for consumers,
for example, hundreds of crop protectants and veterinary medicines. Unfortunately,
existing data on their final destination in the environment is still scarce (Kah et al.
2013; Dimkpa et al. 2013; Giannousi et al. 2013). Surprisingly every year thousands
of tons of nanoscale materials have been drained globally into the landfills and water.
The entrance of nanomaterials into the water, soil, and atmosphere can have
important consequences for animal and plant health through distribution in the main
structural components of the plant and microbial community in the soil (Rico et al.
2011; Ma et al. 2010). As the engineered nanomaterials enter into the ecosystem,
the biological entities and inorganic substances stochastically transform them and
H. Ebrahimnejad et al.
Major Advances
Here we review the possibility of naturally occurring nanomaterials existence in
food. The routes of engineered nanomaterials entry through the ecosystem to the
plant and animal food and their bioaccumulation and biomagnification are delineated. Despite the limitations in nanomaterial toxicity assessment, awareness about
nanomaterial’s movement through different trophic levels and their effects on food
animals and plants might help the risk analysis of these particles in the food chain.
Keywords Nanomaterial · Food chain · Ecosystem · Impact · Toxicity
9.1 Preface
After the first industrial revolution in the mid-eighteenth century, nothing could
mark a major turning point in the global economic empire as much as nano-industry
by now. Industries invested billions of dollars in nanotechnology innovations, and
its trading value is assumed to reach approximately $3 trillion by the year 2020
(Roco et al. 2011). Nanotechnology seems to be the magic lamp, so it has the power
to prevail over all of the barriers and make everything possible in all industries
including the food production scope. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
defined various nanotech-related products in different food sectors (Hardy et al.
2018). According to the nano-database (http://nanodb.dk/), 3037 nanotechnologyderived food products are available on the market for customers in 2018; therefore,
it is not surprising that in countries with hi-technologies, it is estimated that billions
of nanoparticles have been consumed daily by people, and this number will be
increased obviously in near future (Rompelberg et al. 2016).
As it is shown in Fig. 9.1, the wide range of engineered nanomaterials or manmade nanomaterials in food is a part of the story of human’s exposure to nanoparticles. It is well established that in some food manufacturing processes, especially
those which used pressure or laser in some steps, new endogenous molecular structures have been created accidentally as food-borne or process-generated nanoparticles (Brody et al. 2008). Results of a study in 2018 have approved the presence of
5 nm fluorescent nanoparticles in the most worldwide popular beverages (Li et al.
2018). Application of intentionally manufactured nanomaterials in plant and animal
husbandry is one of the major causes of increasing food-related risks for consumers,
for example, hundreds of crop protectants and veterinary medicines. Unfortunately,
existing data on their final destination in the environment is still scarce (Kah et al.
2013; Dimkpa et al. 2013; Giannousi et al. 2013). Surprisingly every year thousands
of tons of nanoscale materials have been drained globally into the landfills and water.
The entrance of nanomaterials into the water, soil, and atmosphere can have
important consequences for animal and plant health through distribution in the main
structural components of the plant and microbial community in the soil (Rico et al.
2011; Ma et al. 2010). As the engineered nanomaterials enter into the ecosystem,
the biological entities and inorganic substances stochastically transform them and
H. Ebrahimnejad et al.