UC Santa Cruz

From genetically modified crops to nanoparticles in our food, converging technologies are changing what we eat and how we eat it. “Converging technologies” refers to the union of Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Information Technologies, and Cognitive Sciences (NBIC). Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are already part of the legal landscape and nanofoods are not far behind. Nutraceuticals that claim to boost brain power are already available at your local health food store; the NBIC convergence promises to deliver such results as treatments for malnutrition and obesity, targeted nutrition, timedrelease food, a cruelty-free and sustainable way to produce meat, and food packaging that reports spoilage before it is visible to the naked eye. In this article we review some of the latest trends and developments in the application of nanotechnology to our foods and food sources, define nanofoods, and argue that with proper regulation and oversight this technology may provide solutions to the problems of equity of scarce resources, sustainable food practices, and ethical treatment of animals without eliminating the need for smaller family farms.