FDA's First Public Meeting On Putting Nanotech In Food

[G2099]

The Food and Drug Administration has scheduled a its first-ever Public Meeting on October 10, 2006 to discuss the issue of nanotechnology, a powerful new technology for taking apart and reconstructing nature at the atomic and molecular level. While this is FDA’s first meeting on nanotechnology, the agency is behind the curve:

Many products are already on market shelves that contain unlabeled nanomaterials, including food and food packaging products. Thus far, nanotechnology-laced products are treated by FDA like any other products or product ingredients; yet scientists agree that nanoparticles are fundamentally different substances that create new and unique risks to human health and the environment and need new forms of safety testing.

This public meeting is your first chance to tell FDA what its priorities should be with regard to nanotechnology and nanomaterials in products, including food and food packaging products.

http://ga3.org/campaign/Nano/we7i56n4v5bi3ij?

[ThomCat]

1. It is fundamentally irresponsible of the FDA to

allow Nanomaterials into the food chain without thorough testing FIRST.

It would be very helpful if the FDA wasn't starved for staff and funding, and dominated by concern for corporations instead of the public.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

2. The FDA's gone to pot.

But what are these nanotech products in food?

[acmejack]

3. Potentially deadly.

But what the hell, you don't care do you? The FDA damn sure doesn't, even if it is there job. You can bet your sweet ass none of our betters (Congresspeople, Government officials, Oligarchs, etc.) will be eating this kind of crap!

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

4. Yeah

But I'm asking what and where they actually are.

[acmejack]

5. Serious answer to your question.

Hundreds of firms using nanotech in food

Two hundred companies are already working on inserting nanotechnology into food, posing "immense" risks to health, new research claims.

The study estimates that use of the technology in food has created an industry, now worth more than £1bn, which will grow within six years to more than £10bn, with thousands of firms involved.

Last week, Prince Charles, writing exclusively in The Independent on Sunday, warned that the technology, which uses microscopic particles, a million of which would fit on a pin head, could lead to "upsets" similar to the Thalidomide disaster, unless care were taken. Leading scientists and the Royal Society condemned him for the analogy, but today he is backed by a leading expert on the technology, Professor Gregor Wolbring, himself affected by the drug Thalidomide.

Nanotechnology, which is set to revolutionise industry and everyday life, deals with particles so small the laws of physics no longer apply. The technology could bring great benefits, such as medicines precisely geared to curing particular organs. But it also poses great dangers since some of the particles affect the immune system. There are no special regulations on their use and little research has been done on their safe application.

http://www.red-ice.net/news/2004/nanotechfood.html

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

6. That doesn't answer my question.

What sort of nanoparticles, why, and in what foods? And who, while you're at it.

[acmejack]

7. Data Base of Nano Tech Containing Consumer Items on the Market:

A lot aren't food items. Got it from the food Producers Daily Though.

http://www.nanotechproject.org/index.php?id=44&action=view





http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/search/search.asp?KEYWORDS=nanotechnology&period=all&inner=1

Safer And Guilt-Free Nano Foods http://www.forbes.com/investmentnewsletters/2005/08/09/nanotechnology-kraft-hershey-cz_jw_0810soapbox_inl.html?partner=rss