Nanotechnology’s Impact on Functional Foods, Supplements (How Nanotechnology Will Impact Functional Foods, Dietary Supplements)

 New Clinical Effects

Now for the expectation of the new and the wondrous. Because of the quantum effects of these NSPs, many familiar substances take on totally new characteristics, as described above for copper. It’s as if we turned over the periodic table of the elements and found a whole new catalogue of substances, and the same is true for organic substances.

Many, but not all, substances may also exhibit radically new activities beyond absorption and excretion. This has been a boon to the drug companies, which know for each new drug that makes it to market, 10,000 had been tested and the first 9,999 had failed for one reason or another.

Nanotechnology may compel drug companies to go back to their libraries of unsuccessful substances and re-screen them as NSPs. Undoubtedly, many of these substances will have improved physical characteristics (such as enhanced solubility, stability, etc.), but may also have totally unpredicted new activities. Some may eventually become new drugs. It is likely those substances with low activity or marginal demand as a drug (as more powerful congeners may be on the market or a sufficient niche does not exist for their indication), may be licensed as dietary supplements or functional foods (because the drug company owns the patent and no clinical trials undertaken, thus exempting it from Section 912 and the exclusionary clause of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act). Presently used dietary supplements or functional foods will likely also find new life in other applications. It is only a matter of creating an NSP and screening for efficacy.

The benefits of nanotechnology to the dietary supplement and functional food market are inestimable. Better packaging and delivery systems have the possibility to deliver substances to market that were previously too friable to be packaged, stored and delivered. Those substances that traditionally could only be consumed fresh could potentially be shipped and stored for prolonged periods or consumed without fear of inactivation by stomach acid or intestinal enzymes. Nanotechnology can enhance absorption and retard excretion as needed. Lastly, new uses await discovery, possibly for even the most humble of supplements and foods.

George A. Burdock, Ph.D., Diplomate, American Board of Toxicology (DABT), and Fellow, American College of Nutrition (FACN), is president of the toxicology consulting firm Burdock Group, with headquarters located in Orlando, Fla. Dr. Burdock (gburdock@burdockgroup.com) is an internationally recognized authority on the safety of food ingredients, personal care products and dietary supplements.

Lonnie Williams, Ph.D., (lwilliams@burdockgroup.com) is a staff toxicologist at Burdock Group, and a key member of the Burdock Group’s scientific team.