Nanotechnology is research and development that involves measuring and manipulating matter at the atomic, molecular, and supramolecular levels at scales measured in approximately 1 to 100 nanometers (nm) in at least one dimension.”Materials at such small scales often exhibit different electrical, magnetic, optical, mechanical, and other physical properties from their bulk material counterparts, leading to the development of potentially revolutionary technologies in a variety of industries,including agriculture and food. By increasing productivity, reducing postharvest loss, improving product quality, increasing the competitiveness of agricultural producers, and improving market access, advances in nanotechnology may present new opportunities to improve the livelihoods of the poor. But nanotechnology may also create new risks.Investments in agriculture and food nanotechnologies carry increasing weight because their potential benefits range from improved food quality and safety to reduced agricultural inputs and improved processing and nutrition. While most investment is made primarily in developed countries, research advancements provide glimpses of potential applications in agricultural, food, and water safety that could have significant impacts on rural populations in developing countries.Despite their promise, agricultural and food nanotechnologies, especially those that could reduce poverty or increase food and nutrition security, will likely face many challenges in each step of development—from investment in research and development (R&D) to adoption and use—before being commercialized and used by the rural poor. Many of these obstacles appear in the development of any new technology, but there are also issues specific to nanotechnology: intellectual property rights (IPR), the management of safety and environmental risks in the presence of wide uncertainties, and possible market displacement effects induced by these technologies, among other concerns. This brief presents a review of the potential opportunities and challenges of using nanotech applications for agriculture, food, and water in developing countries. | PR | IFPRI1; GRP1 | EPTD; MTID

IFPRI1; GRP1 | Gruère Guillaume P., 'Agriculture, food, and water nanotechnologies for the poor Opportunities and constraints', , IFPRI, 2011

Engineered water nanostructures (EWNS) synthesized utilizing electrospray and ionization of water, have been, recently, shown to be an effective, green, antimicrobial platform for surface and air disinfection, where reactive oxygen species (ROS), generated and encapsulated within the particles during synthesis, were found to be the main inactivation mechanism. Herein, the antimicrobial potency of the EWNS was further enhanced by integrating electrolysis, electrospray and ionization of de-ionized water in the EWNS synthesis process. Detailed physicochemical characterization of these enhanced EWNS (eEWNS) was performed using state-of-the-art analytical methods and has shown that, while both size and charge remain similar to the EWNS (mean diameter of 13 nm and charge of 13 electrons), they possess a three times higher ROS content. The increase of the ROS content as a result of the addition of the electrolysis step before electrospray and ionization led to an increased antimicrobial ability as verified by E. coli inactivation studies using stainless steel coupons. It was shown that a 45-min exposure to eEWNS resulted in a 4-log reduction as opposed to a 1.9-log reduction when exposed to EWNS. In addition, the eEWNS were assessed for their potency to inactivate natural microbiota (total viable and yeast and mold counts), as well as, inoculated E. coli on the surface of fresh organic blackberries. The results showed a 97% (1.5-log) inactivation of the total viable count, a 99% (2-log) reduction in the yeast and mold count and a 2.5-log reduction of the inoculated E. coli after 45 min of exposure, without any visual changes to the fruit. This enhanced antimicrobial activity further underpins the EWNS platform as an effective, dry and chemical free approach suitable for a variety of food safety applications and could be ideal for delicate fresh produce that cannot withstand the classical, wet disinfection treatments.

Despite the progress in the area of food safety, foodborne diseases still represent a massive challenge to the public health systems worldwide, mainly due to the substantial inefficiencies across the farm-to-fork continuum. Here, we report the development of a nano-carrier platform, for the targeted and precise delivery of antimicrobials for the inactivation of microorganisms on surfaces using Engineered Water Nanostructures (EWNS). An aqueous suspension of an active ingredient (AI) was used to synthesize iEWNS, with the ‘i’ denoting the AI used in their synthesis, using a combined electrospray and ionization process. The iEWNS possess unique, active-ingredient-dependent physicochemical properties: i) they are engineered to have a tunable size in the nanoscale; ii) they have excessive electric surface charge, and iii) they contain both the reactive oxygen species (ROS) formed due to the ionization of deionized (DI) water, and the AI used in their synthesis. Their charge can be used in combination with an electric field to target them onto a surface of interest. In this approach, a number of nature-inspired antimicrobials, such as H₂O₂, lysozyme, citric acid, and their combination, were used to synthesize a variety of iEWNS-based nano-sanitizers. It was demonstrated through foodborne-pathogen-inactivation experiments that due to the targeted and precise delivery, and synergistic effects of AI and ROS incorporated in the iEWNS structure, a pico-to nanogram-level dose of the AI delivered to the surface using this nano-carrier platform is capable of achieving 5-log reductions in minutes of exposure time. This aerosol-based, yet ‘dry’ intervention approach using iEWNS nano-carrier platform offers advantages over current ‘wet’ techniques that are prevalent commercially, which require grams of the AI to achieve similar inactivation, leading to increased chemical risks and chemical waste byproducts. Such a targeted nano-carrier approach has the potential to revolutionize the delivery of antimicrobials for sterilization in the food industry.

GRP40; IFPRI1 | Gruère Guillaume P., 'Agricultural, food, and water nanotechnologies for the poor Opportunities, constraints, and role of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research', , IFPRI, 2011

EPTD; MTID | Discussion paper | GRP40; IFPRI1 | Non-PR | There are a number of potential opportunities associated with agricultural, food, and water nanotechnology for the poor, but to achieve such opportunities a number of challenges need to be overcome. This paper first provides a rapid assessment of key technologies that could have a large impact on the poor via increased agricultural productivity, improved food and water safety, and nutrition. Second, it reviews some of the main challenges to their deployment and adoption by the poor. It concludes with a discussion of the potential role of the CGIAR in facilitating the poor’s access to beneficial nanotechnologies.