Research Group To Develop Indigenous Nano Sensor By End Of 2023

A Nanotechnology expert, Prof. Abdulkareem Saka claimed that by the end of 2023, the Nanotechnology Research Group (NANO+) would have developed an indigenous nanosensor to examine nanoparticles on food ingredients.

Saka, a member of NANO+, domiciled in Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, Oyo State said this on Monday in an interview.

Additionally, the expert suggested using nanotechnology to guarantee food security, which would improve exports.

According to him Designing, creating, and using structures, devices, and systems by manipulating atoms and molecules at the nanoscale are all part of the field of science and technology known as nanotechnology.

Saka claimed that his team was attempting to domesticate nanosensors for the nation, as they were already being used to detect nanoparticles on food ingredients in some industrialised nations like the USA.

The expert lamented that because of the presence of mycotoxins, the majority of food goods from West African and African nations could not be transferred to Europe or the US.

“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 nanoparticles on our foods,’’ he said.

Saka emphasised that although Nigeria and other African countries produced a lot of food, its safety was questioned.

He claimed that in 2021, my nanotechnology group received funding from TETFUND for 26 million naira 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.