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new level, with the potential to change dramatically the way food is produced, grown, processed, packaged, transported and even eaten. new level, with the potential to change dramatically the way food the bloodstream and further to the liver and other organs as is produced, grown, processed, packaged, transported and even individual molecules.” In other words, by the time it enters the eaten. bloodstream, all food is nano-scale—whether it started out as a slice of tomato or a glass of lemonade containing BASF's - Nano-scale food additives synthetic lycopene. (Perhaps because of health concerns related In fact, the products of nanotechnology have already begun to to nanoparticles, Dr Gans emphasised that the synthetic lycopene "appear" in food (though they are too small to be seen—and con- handled by BASF employees and supplied to their customers was sumers would have no way of knowing, since there is no require- not in the form of nanoparticles; at that stage, he said, the particles ment for labelling and no size-specific regulation). have clumped together in aggregates of micron-level size, which BASF, for example, produces a nano-scale version of will partially dissolve in the final product. Ultimately, the carotenoids, a class of food additives that imparts an orange consumer's digestive enzymes bring the particles back down to colour and that occurs naturally in carrots and tomatoes. Some the nano-scale.) types of carotenoids are antioxidants and can be converted to vita- While the explanation that all food is nano-scale by the time it min A in the body. BASF sells its nano-scale synthetic reaches the bloodstream makes sense a priori, it is important to carotenoids to major food and beverage companies worldwide for —_ note that BASF conducted toxicological testing of its lycopene use in lemonades, fruit juices and margarines.'* Nano-scale for- not because it was a nano-scale formulation but because it was mulation makes them more easily absorbed by produced through chemical synthesis (rather the body but also increases shelf life. BASF's than derived from lycopene-containing fruits carotenoid sales are US$210 million annually. and vegetables). Had synthetic lycopene This figure includes both nano-scale and other already been vetted as a food ingredient, carotenoids.'** The products of BASF would not have been compelled by In 2002, BASF submitted a GRAS regulators to test the safety of a nano-scale (Generally Recognized as Safe) notice to nanotechnology version. inform the FDA of its sale of a synthetic have already begun This is what makes the prospect of adding carotenoid called lycopene (which occurs " we nanoparticles to foods—in the absence of naturally in tomatoes) as a food additive. to appear In food specific regulatory attention paid to size— BASF's synthetic lycopene is formulated at h h th r alarming: what nano-scale substances are in the nano-scale.'** According to BASF, the (t oug t ey are too the pipeline that have already been approved g Pip’ y PP. question of specialised testing for small to be seen— as food additives at larger scales but may was not required because “BASF pum AN CONSUMES aren ics and. unknown demonstrated safety in a variety would have no way consequences? Of particular concern of...toxicological evaluations".'*’ The i would be nano-scale formulations of FDA accepted BASF's notice without . of meee substances that do not already occur since there Is no requirement for question.'* naturally in food. labelling...). In a telephone interview, Robert Martin of the FDA confirmed that size was not taken into account in the review of BASF's synthetic lycopene, and he explained further that "size per se" is "not a major consideration" in regulatory review but would be addressed "on a case-by-case basis" if there appeared to exceed 1% by weight".'' (Micron-sized be implications for health and safety.'” TiO: imparts a bright white colour and Is it safe to add nanoparticles to foods? The short answer to the is added to icings on cookies and cakes). The FDA has also Titanium Dioxide and Silicon Dioxide Coatings Take titanium dioxide (TiO2) as an example: TiO2 was approved as a food colour additive by the US FDA in 1966, with the only stipulation being "not to question is, "No one knows for sure". The issue has yet to be con- approved TiO: as a "food contact substance"—meaning that if it fronted head on by either regulators or the scientific community. comes into contact with food when it is incorporated into packag- ETC Group has identified only a handful of nano-scale food ing, it won't cause harm. TiO> has been used as a colourant additives on the market today, but we can't be certain how (white) in paper used for food packaging.” widespread their use is since there are no requirements that they With advances in nanotech techniques, TiO2 can now be be labelled as such. Just as in other regulatory arenas such as formulated at the nano-scale. The quantum property changes that cosmetics and chemicals, the question of safety has not been take place with the reduction in size offer advantages for certain approached from the perspective of size. So far, manufacturers applications. But some of nano-scale TiO:'s property changes— have been the only ones to consider size—primarily in terms of such as increased chemical reactivity—have caused concern in the market advantages that extremely small size offers (e.g., a applications where the nano-scale substance comes into intimate decrease in size increases bioavailability in foods and increases contact with the human body, (e.g., as an ingredient in transparency in cosmetics). cosmetics).'"? Nano-scale TiO: particles are no longer white (they In the case of additives that also occur naturally in foods, it is are transparent), but they still block ultraviolet (UV) light in the not clear what the nano-specific safety issues are. Discussing way their larger siblings do. Transparent, nano-scale TiO: is now nano-scale lycopene, for example, Dr Gerhard Gans of BASF being used in clear plastic food wraps for UV protection. explained that once the synthetic, nano-scale lycopene reaches the Because TiO: has already been approved as a food colour addi- gut, it behaves in exactly the same way the lycopene in a tomato tive and as a food contact substance, its nano-scale use in foods behaves: it is broken down by digestive enzymes and taken into does not require additional toxicity testing. And the per-cent-by- The products of nanotechnology have already begun to "appear" in food (though they are too small to be seen— of knowing, since there is no requirement for labelling...). 22 = NEXUS and consumers would have no way www.nexusmagazine.com AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2005