How Nanotechnologies Can Contribute to Innovation in Food Firms in Europe

The possibility of nanotechnologies being introduced in the food industry in a profound way depends on many factors. These include how they meet the demand for innovation made by firms together with acceptance by final consumers as well as the ability of the technological transfer system to reduce the cognitive distance between users and providers. Our discussion indicates that nanotechnologies are able to fulfill different needs of food firms, especially with respect to improving food safety and sensory features. However, their deployment has raised public concerns on ethical and societal issues that are still to be investigated and, in many cases, regulated. Finally, given that nanotechnologies represent a domain with significant knowledge asymmetries and that the food industry has a relatively low absorptive capacity, this presents a good opportunity for innovation brokers to promote technology transfer. The theoretical framework that lies behind this article is a useful instrument to narrow specific cognitive distances to facilitate matching demand and supply of innovative nanotechnologies. It also provides for a better comprehension of the technological paradigm and analysis of consumer acceptance, and draws attention to the necessity of stricter regulations for improving acceptance by consumers.