In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have successfully created a pasta so thin that it surpasses the world’s thinnest known pasta, su filindeu. Dubbed “nanopasta,” this extraordinary creation is about 1,000 times thinner than a strand of hair. The nanopasta, made by University College London (UCL) graduate chemistry student Beatrice Britton, is approximately 15 millionths of an inch thick.
Using flour and liquid, Britton utilized electrospinning—a technique where an electrical charge pulls a mixture through a needle—to produce nanofibers that are thinner than some wavelengths of light. While this nanopasta may not find its way onto restaurant menus due to its tendency to overcook in less than a second, the implications of this discovery are far-reaching. The findings were published in the journal Nanoscale Advances and highlight potential medical applications such as bandages, scaffolding for bone regeneration and tissue regrowth, and drug delivery.
“To make spaghetti, you push a mixture of water and flour through metal holes. In our study, we did the same except we pulled our flour mixture through with an electrical charge,” explained Adam Clancy, a UCL researcher involved in the study. He further described the nanopasta as “literally spaghetti but much smaller.”
The key ingredient in these nanofibers is starch—a carbohydrate abundant in green plants. While extracting and purifying starch from plant cells typically requires extensive processing and resources, using starch-rich ingredients like flour offers a more environmentally friendly approach.
“Starch is a promising material to use as it is abundant and renewable…and it is biodegradable,” elaborated Clancy. “But purifying starch requires lots of processing. We’ve shown that a simpler way to make nanofibers using flour is possible.”
To overcome the challenges of using starch-rich ingredients, the researchers mixed the flour with formic acid instead of water. The formic acid effectively broke down the spiral structure of starch, enabling it to form nanofibers. These nanofibers were then measured using a scanning electron microscope, as they were too thin to be captured by conventional microscopes or visible light cameras.
The resulting nanopasta formed a mat that was 0.79 inches wide and visible to the naked eye. However, further research is needed to investigate the properties and potential applications of this remarkable product.
“The next step would be to investigate the properties of this product…how quickly it disintegrates, how it interacts with cells, and if you could produce it at scale,” stated Clancy.
This groundbreaking discovery not only pushes the boundaries of pasta-making but also highlights its potential impact in various fields, including medicine. Italians have long believed in pasta’s ability to nourish both heart and soul; now, it seems that pasta’s influence extends beyond gastronomy and into groundbreaking scientific advancements.
