The world record for the thinnest pasta has been broken, but these ultra-narrow noodles are more suited for wound dressings than dining tables. Researchers have created starch-rich nanofibers from white flour, averaging about 370 nanometers in thickness—roughly two hundredths the thickness of a human hair. These nano-noodles could be utilized in biodegradable bandages, as reported by chemist Adam Clancy and his team in the October 30 issue of Nanoscale Advances.

To create the noodle 'dough,' the scientists combined flour with formic acid, a liquid that aids in uncoiling the long starch molecules within the flour. 'Typically, to cook starch, one uses water and heat to break down the tight packing of starch,' explains Clancy from University College London. 'We chemically achieve this with formic acid, effectively pickling it instead of cooking it.'

The researchers then carefully warmed the dough to achieve the appropriate consistency. Using a technique called electrospinning, they applied an electric charge to pull the mixture through a needle onto a plate a few centimeters away. As the starch molecules tangle upon exiting the needle, they form a continuous jet. During this process, the formic acid evaporates, leaving behind a thin fiber. After approximately 30 seconds, the fiber forms a thin mat on the plate.

Mats composed of starchy nanofibers generally have pores large enough for water molecules to pass through but too small for bacteria, making them ideal for bandages and wound dressings. Previous studies have produced electrospun mats from pure starch, but the extraction process from plant matter is both energy- and water-intensive. This new research demonstrates that the extraction process is not strictly necessary.

'If used for bandages, the presence of cellulose and protein doesn't matter,' Clancy notes. Since the fibers are made from dried flour, they qualify as pasta, making them the thinnest pasta ever recorded—approximately a thousandth the width of su filindeu, a type of pasta about half the width of angel hair noodles, handmade exclusively by one family in Nuoro, Italy.

But is Clancy's nanopasta edible? 'I certainly hope so,' he says.

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