Development of analytical procedures for the determination of engineered nanomaterials in food by Single-Particle ICP-MS

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There is now solid evidence of the substantial benefits that can be gained through the use of nanotechnology in the food industry. The main applications include food processing and food packaging, with the latter being the most active area. The incorporation of nanoparticles into packaging is mainly aimed at preventing food degradation and microbial contamination. Favorable food safety regulations and an increasing demand for effective packaging are expected to substantially increase the importance of the nano-enabled packaging market in coming years (already around $24 billion in 2015). Nonetheless, there are inevitably some questions about the impact of the engineered nanomaterials (ENM) on human health. A significant missing input that is required for appropriately assessing the risks to human heath is the rigorous measurement of the sizes and concentrations of ENM that end up in food once it has been in contact with nano-enabled packaging. The overall goal of this work is to contribute to a better use of nanotechnology in the food science industry. The project is centered around the development of rigorous analytical procedures for detecting and characterizing metal-containing nanoparticles in food and food packaging developed using ENM. Its specific long-term objective is to provide producers, health professionals and regulators with an accurate testing service that would bring safe, high-quality products to Canadian consumers. The development of analytical protocols for the accurate determination of ENM in food and measurements of their release from food packaging will have valuable benefits for Canadians. On one hand, it will lead to better assessments of the human and environmental exposure to the nanomaterials that are used in food and packaging industries. This will allow regulators to improve the quality of regulations and recommendations to consumers and lead to an increased safety and security for Canadians. On the other hand, it will help the food industry produce innovative products that are more sustainable and less harmful for human health. This will drive innovations leading to a more sustainable development of food packaging that is based on nanotechnology.