Imagine spaghetti so thin it practically dissolves in your sauce. Well, scientists have now created the world’s thinnest spaghetti, measuring about 200 times thinner than human hair! However, while this creation may excite pasta lovers, it’s not designed for your dinner plate. The spaghetti-like strands are nanofibers, developed for use in medical and industrial applications rather than culinary purposes.

A team of researchers at University College London has crafted these incredibly thin nanofibers, made from plant-derived glucose. These fibers hold great potential for medical use, such as in wound-healing bandages, bone regeneration, and drug delivery systems due to their porous and bacteria-blocking properties. Starch-based nanofibers, while promising, typically require energy-intensive and water-heavy processes to purify starch from plant cells. However, scientists are looking to simplify the process by directly making these fibers from starch-rich materials like flour, which could be more environmentally sustainable.

The process involves pulling a mixture of water and flour through metal holes using an electrical charge, producing the spaghetti strands. These nanofibers, at just 372 nanometers wide, are much thinner than traditional pasta, such as Sardinia’s su filindeu, which is 400 microns wide. While the new spaghetti won’t serve as a meal (it would overcook instantly), it could significantly impact the future of medical technologies.

Next steps involve testing the fibers for their properties and potential for large-scale production.