Food, packaging and agricultural products containing
manufactured nanomaterials pose a toxic health risk and should be
suspended from sale until new safety testing, laws and appropriate
labelling are created, a new report says.
 | | Out of the laboratory and on to our plates: Nanotechnology in foods and agriculture |
The Friends of the Earth (FoE) report reveals Australians may
be unwittingly ingesting nanomaterials that could be toxic because
regulators are struggling to keep pace with their rapidly expanding
use. The report found that 104 foods, food contact materials and
agricultural products containing nanomaterials are now on sale
internationally.
Nanotechnology, the manipulation of matter at the scale of
atoms and molecules, is now used to manufacture some nutritional
supplements, flavour and colour additives, food packaging, cling wrap,
containers and chemicals used in agriculture. Industry analysts
estimate several hundred nano food products are now on sale
internationally.
“The use of nanomaterials by the food industry is
very concerning,” said report co-author Dr Rye Senjen.
“Early evidence indicates some nanomaterials used in foods
and food packaging can be toxic.
“This is a big worry because Australian laws do not
require manufacturers to declare whether or not their products contain
manufactured nanomaterials, or to conduct new safety tests on nano
ingredients.”
“Australian regulators have no way to know how many
nano foods may be on Australian supermarket shelves and no way to check
whether or not they are safe.”
Report co-author Georgia Miller said many of the
world’s largest food companies, including Heinz, Nestle,
Unilever and Kraft, were currently exploring nanotechnology for food
processing and packaging.
“We know manufactured nanomaterials are already in
some products found on Australian supermarket shelves and used in
Australian kitchens,” Ms Miller said. “Packaging
for Cadbury chocolates, antibacterial kitchen wipes and cleaning
sprays, and refrigerators sold by Samsung, Hitachi and LG Electronics
now contain manufactured nanomaterials.
“In the USA and Europe nano ingredients are found in
some fruit juices, processed meats, diet milkshakes and baby food. It
is possible unlabelled nano additives are also found in foods sold in
Australia.
“We are calling for a halt to sales of all nano
food, food packaging and agricultural chemicals until new laws are
enacted to ensure their safety and until nano ingredients are labelled
so people can choose whether or not they want to eat nano
foods.”
Out of the laboratory and on to our plates:
Nanotechnology in foods and agriculture was released
internationally today in Europe, the USA and Australia.
Posted 11th March 2008
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