May 2 2007
The latest study by hkc22.com shows that food production and consumption will change dramatically within the next 20 years. Water problems, energy use and climate change are the key reasons besides increasing population from 6 billion to expected 9 billion.
More than 60% of the water used worldwide is for food production. More than the 20% of the methane comes from agriculture and stock breeding. 30% of the total transportation is food and contributes to global warming. The total transport counts for 60% of the world’s CO2 emissions.
Millions of people today do not have enough food and it will be worse in the future. For many people food are not available, although there are enough supplies somewhere else. Most people around the world will welcome the possibility to shape food on a molecular level, because it will be locally available everywhere around the world.
More and more food companies and agriculture are aware about this future development and work on concepts to enter the science and technologies. Most companies do not talk about this development because the consumer is afraid.
2040 will be the common use of nanoproduced food, which has the correct nutritional composition and the same taste and texture of organically produced food, means that the availability of food is no longer affected by limited resources, bad crop weather, water problems or others.
Helmut Kaiser Consultancy has produced in 1999 the first analyses, in 2004/2005 the second and in 2007 the current level of nano food research portfolio worldwide, estimates on possible areas and timeframes for commercialization, and has a deep look at potential benefits and risks. Explain applications, markets and developments to 2040. This book has more then 300 pages.
Nanotechnology will have an impact on the food industry, from how food is grown and produced, processed to how it is packaged, transported and consumed. Companies are developing nanomaterials that will make a difference not only in the taste of food, but also in food safety, and the health benefits food delivers. Nanotechnology will transform the entire food industry in the next 20 years. In agriculture, it portends various applications aimed at reducing pesticide and water use, improving plant and animal breeding, and creating nano-bioindustrial products.
A report last year by the Helmut Kaiser Consultancy estimated that the worldwide nanotech food market may total $20.4 billion by 2010 and increase the speed of growth.
While there is lots of opportunities for using nanotechnology to improve food production, packaging, and quality, there is also some concern about how this will play out. However this developement is part of our molecular future.