Nanotechnology in Foods Poses Challenges

BRUSSELS , Belgium— The growing use of nanotechnology in food applications poses new challenges for both science and regulation in Europe’s food and nutrition market, according to an industry expert. Stefanie Geiser, nutritional product regulatory affairs manager, EAS-Italy, said, "As the nanotechnology market continues to grow, regulators and scientists are actively working to find regulatory and risk assessment models to embrace its research and safety aspects."

The first nano-food contact material, a silicon dioxide coating, has already been approved by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) this year, and a second, titanium nitride, is under review. However, EFSA has said that it will not be able to meet the European Commission’s mandate for a complete generic risk assessment of nanotechnology by March 31, 2008, because of the vast range of existing nanomaterials with completely divergent physical/chemical properties and safety profiles. Instead, EFSA has proposed to issue only an initial scientific opinion by summer 2008, and now plans to set up a working group of 10 to 15 MemberState scientific experts to analyze and build on already generated opinions by EU scientific advisory bodies and third countries.