Nanotechnology – when matter is manipulated at the microscopic level – has the potential to be transformative in many fields. One of these fields is agriculture.
A new material discovered in the Pacific Cleaner Shrimp could inspire the development of new whitening materials in foods as a replacement for titanium dioxide (E171), say scientists.
On May 6, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) issued a scientific opinion concluding that titanium dioxide (E171), a whitening pigment used to color everything from gum to sauces, “can no longer be considered safe as a food additive.” So what does...
A key concern for customers is the ability to improve traceability throughout the supply chain, especially when multiple stakeholders are involved and risks are increasing, according to the CEO and president of Mérieux NutriSciences.
French consumer group UFC-Que Choisir has filed a legal complaint to the High Court of Paris against Mars, Casino, McCormick and Jacobs Douwe Egberts due to the “significant proportion” of undeclared nanoparticles in their products.
The use of organic and inorganic nanomaterials (INMs) in food applications is growing, a review concludes, yet its short history has not completely revealed the associated risks.
The current case-by-case risk assessment of nanomaterials (NMs) is not the most efficient long term approach to ensure safety, according to a review which looked at regulatory approaches.
Nanotechnology offers great potential for use in the food and drink supply chain, but the public’s food safety concerns still need to be overcome, according to the head of the Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA).
The question of how to define and label nano-scale ingredients will return to the drawing board, after the European Parliament rejected the Commission’s proposed regulation on Wednesday.
Concerns over the use of silver nanoparticles in fresh produce have been tackled by US researchers claiming to have developed methods for their detection.
A US not-for-profit organisation has slammed the “murky issue” around potential risks of nanomaterial use and pledged to test products to assess their safety.
Public concerns about nanotechnology in food processing highlight important areas for further research, according to a US paper just published in the journal Nanobiotechnology.
UK researchers have developed a way to detect and characterise inorganic nanomaterials, bringing scientists a step closer to determining their effects in food and drink.
Hearts and minds need to be won in the battle to commercialise nanotechnology, if it is to avoid going the same way as GM food, according to a new study.
A leading food industry expert has dismissed criticisms that manufacturing and packaging companied are too secretive about nanotechnology developments as a failure to understand the necessity to safeguard commercial confidentiality.
The European food industry wants to be more transparent in terms of its use of nanotechnology but is constrained by commercial sensitivity, claims a speaker at a Brussels seminar to address criticism of secrecy over nanotech.
Manufacturers risk new nanotechnology-based food products being rejected in a similar way to genetically modified (GM) foods, unless they start engaging with consumers over their perceptions of the risks involved, a new Food Standards Agency (FSA) commissioned...
A lack of scientific evidence means no clear verdict can yet be reached on the health risks posed by nanomaterials - but the carcinogenic potential of some nanoparticles should be “taken seriously”, cautioned German authorities.
The Food Standard Agency (FSA) said it is considering signing confidentiality agreements with food and packaging companies in a bid to persuade them to share information on nanotechnology research.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published draft guidance giving more specific risk assessment information regarding the use of nanotechnology in food.
A top level forum made up of regulators, industry players and consumer groups is holding its first meeting today as part of a UK bid to tackle a slew of issues surrounding nanotechnology in the food sector.
The Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) has welcomed moves by the European Commission (EC) to develop a definition of nanomaterials for regulatory purposes, but raised some concerns about the draft definition currently out for consultation.
A lack of plausible scientific evidence means that no general conclusions can currently be drawn on the safety of food and packaging derived from nanomaterials, said Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety (CFS).
A new website, www.nanolyse.eu, will be launched later this month to showcase the work of the EU’s NanoLyse project dedicated to developing validated methods and reference materials for the analysis of engineered nano-particles (ENP) in food and beverages.
Let's get talking about nanotech. The science of the very small has filled the food industry with big ideas – but industry is torn on how to present nanotechnology to consumers, stalling product development.
The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has strongly recommended that nanosilver not be used in consumer goods, including foods as well as cosmetics and textiles.
The benefits for nano-packaging, showing how it can overcome current food and drink industry challenges in terms of shelf life, distribution or sustainability, need to become more apparent in order to ensure widespread commercial implementation, says...
Food and packaging industry players should be cautious in their use of nanomaterials given the uncertainty over any long-term health risks they could present, France’s food safety watchdog has said.
A measure forcing food and packaging companies to submit details of nanotechnology research to a national database could trigger an R&D exodus from the UK, the Government has warned.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) Board last week accepted a recommendation in a House of Lords Science and Technology Committee report to compile a confidential database of food industry research into nanotechnology.
Nanotechnology holds great potential and is being used increasingly in food and consumer products. So far, the connotations have mostly been positive. However this promising start is now at risk of being reversed. There is a very real danger that a scare...
Food manufacturers’ reluctance to disclose what research they are carrying out on products using nanotechnology risks a public backlash similar to that which occurred against genetically modified (GM) foods, The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee...
The Atlantic Ocean separates continents; it also separates schools of thought on the definition of nanotechnology. In order to educate manufacturers and consumers on nanotechnology a definition is critical.
Nanotechnology is opening up opportunities in food formulation, food packaging, and food safety. Stephen Daniells talked to Kathy Groves, principal microscopist from Leatherhead, on how the industry is facing up to the challenges and potential.
Beta-carotene, a food colour and antioxidant, can be nano-encapsulated in special spun fibres, offering formulators a fresh approach to adding value to products.
The European Food Safety Authority has concluded its assessment of the potential risks of nanotechnologies for food and feed, stating that a cautious, case-by-case approach is needed as many uncertainties remain over its safe use.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has issued a draft opinion that there are broad uncertainties over the safe use of nanotechnology for foodstuffs, and more research is recommended.
Environmental group Friends of the Earth (FOE) has called for a
moratorium on the use of nanotechnology in the food chain, claiming
insufficient research has been carried out into its effect on human
health and the environment.
The majority of consumers do not think that nanotechnology should
be used in food applications, according to a survey from German
risk assessor BfR, and they are more likely to trust information
from consumer groups than politicians...
In an exclusive interview, Professor Niels Christian Nielsen,
winner of this year's Danisco Award, shared his thoughts with
Stephen Daniells on the rise of nanotechnology and gave insight on
this fascinating new area of the food...
The growth and complexity of nanotechnology in food applications
poses new challenges for the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA),
which will meet next week to begin discussions on its regulation
and risk assessment.
