A Nanotechnology expert, Prof Abdulkareem Saka, has said that Nanotechnology Research Group (NANO+) is working on developing an indigenous Nano Sensor to analyse Nano particles on food substances by the end of 2023.
Saka, a member of NANO+, domiciled in Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, Oyo State, said this on Monday, January 9, 2023, in an interview.
The expert also said that Nanotechnology could be deployed to ensure food security leading to better exports.
He explained that Nanotechnology is the branch of science and technology that deals with designing, producing, using structures, devices and systems by manipulating atoms and molecules at nanoscale.
Saka said that Nano sensors were already being used in some developed countries like the USA to detect nanoparticles on food substances and his group was working on domesticating the same for the country.
The expert decried that most of the food products from Africa, West African countries could not be exported to Europe or the US due to the presence of Mycotoxins.
“These developed countries don’t trust the safety of our food, because from the farming to the processing, there is the presence of Mycotoxins in our foods.
“Mycotoxins kill a lot and cause a lot of harm to the body.
“We need a platform in the Nanotechnology system to enable us to remove mycotoxins from our food and as a result leverage on exporting our food.
“With a support grant from Tertiary Education Fund (TETFUND), we are looking at coming up with indigenous sensors by the end of 2023 that can analyse nano particles on our foods,’’ he said.
Saka reiterated that Nigeria and other parts of Africa produced lots of food but the safety was being doubted.
According to him, in 2021, my nanotechnology group, we had a grant of 26 million naira from TETFUND to work on this Nano Sensor.
“We are targeting to work on sensors for rice because that is the major food in Nigeria, we are working on the sensor and we are moving towards getting a result.
“We are looking towards the end of 2023 but we are expected to patent first immediately after we have the result,’’ he said.
By Ijeoma Olorunfemi
