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ecotoxicological effects. products that contain engineered nano-ingredients In its 2004 report, the United Kingdom's Royal Society labelled to allow you to make an informed purchasing recognised the serious risks of nanotoxicity and choice. recommended that "ingredients in the form of nano- It is exciting to see food politics debated by our particles should undergo a full safety assessment by the mainstream media and our research and education relevant scientific advisory body before they are __ institutions. However, while there are already unlabelled permitted for use in products" (see http://www.nanotec. food products that contain engineered nano-ingredients org.uk/finalReport.htm). Despite this warning, there are —_ available in our supermarkets, nanotechnology is only just still no laws governing the use of nanomaterials in starting to gain some attention. There are no regulations consumer products to ensure that they do not cause harm __ in place to protect public and environmental health, and to the public using them, the workers producing them or almost no corporate or public monies being spent looking the environmental systems in which waste nano-products _at the long-term consequences of manipulating our food are released. at the atomic level. The similarity to the introduction of The use of nano-surveillance in food packaging will genetic engineering, with the added risk that there is no also introduce new privacy concerns. As the food _ regulatory oversight, is chilling. industry's use of nano-tracking increases, it will gain the We must all get politically active on nanotechnology, capacity to track the movement of food from the paddock just as we've done with genetic engineering. It is to the factory to the supermarket and to your dinner plate. essential that we get moratoria enacted on the use of This will raise serious new nanotechnology until we have privacy issues for which we are regulatory systems in place to poorly prepared. A key way to promote protect human and environmental Alarmingly, despite the release healthy, holistic agriculture health and until we have genuine of nanotech food and agriculture . . . public involvement in decision- products into supermarkets and Is to support it with our making regarding into the environment, purchasing choices. Certified nanotechnology's introduction. governments worldwide have We must also ensure that our yet to introduce any regulation organic foods offer you better governments put our hard-earned to manage nanotechnology's taxpayer dollars into support for risks. health, a better environment the organic sector. n way for r Together we can create a The struggle for a healthy anda yy te are Sa healthy food future that delivers food future: the alternatives a nano-free food future. to our community, not to to nanotechnology corporate profits. 20 What will our food and technological future look like? We are in an epic battle for | About the Authors: control of our food supply. Corporate or community Georgia Miller is coordinator of the Friends of the ownership, global or local, small versus massive, Earth Nanotechnology Project, Australia. Scott processed versus wholesome—these are the paradigms Kinnear is a board member of Biological Farmers of that we need to choose between. A key way to promote Australia and the owner of Organic Wholefoods, healthy, holistic agriculture is to support it with our — based in Melbourne, Australia. purchasing choices. Certified organic foods offer you ar better health, a better environment and a way for you to Editor's Note: _ . : support a nano-free food future. With personal care This paper was originally published in Clean Food products, buy organic or from a company that states it OFganic, vol. 4, May 2007, and is available at does not use nanotechnology. http://nano.foe.org.au/node/198. A 73-page report, There are many ways to help create a healthy food Out of the Laboratory and on to our Plates: future. Shop at a farmers' market or buy from a box Nanotechnology in Food and Agriculture’, written 1n : : March 2008 by Georgia Miller and Dr Rye Senjen of scheme direct from a farmer. Buy from an organic store . . . a . the Friends of the Earth Australia Nanotechnology or from the organic section in a supermarket. Consider we : . Project, is available as a PDF from web page joining a community garden or starting a garden of your http://nano.foe.org/au.node/226. A 12-page summary own. Start an organic kitchen garden at your local pre- of this report is available at web page school or school. Read product labels. Get involved and http://nano.foe.org.au/node/233. For more interested. Talk to your friends and family about the food information on nanotechnology and the Friends of the issues that matter most to you. Let companies know Earth Australia Nanotechnology Project, visit the through their 1-800 feedback lines that you are concerned website http://nano.foe.org.au/. about the use of nanotechnology in their products. Tell See NEXUS 12/04-05 for our coverage of the ETC your local member of parliament that you want to see — Group's report "Down on the Farm: The Impact of A key way to promote healthy, holistic agriculture is to support it with our purchasing choices. Certified organic foods offer you better health, a better environment and a way for you to support a nano-free food future. About the Authors: Georgia Miller is coordinator of the Friends of the Earth Nanotechnology Project, Australia. Scott Kinnear is a board member of Biological Farmers of Australia and the owner of Organic Wholefoods, based in Melbourne, Australia. Editor's Note: This paper was originally published in Clean Food Organic, vol. 4, May 2007, and is available at http://nano.foe.org.au/node/198. A 73-page report, "Out of the Laboratory and on to our Plates: Nanotechnology in Food and Agriculture", written in March 2008 by Georgia Miller and Dr Rye Senjen of the Friends of the Earth Australia Nanotechnology Project, is available as a PDF from web page http://nano.foe.org/au.node/226. A 12-page summary of this report is available at web page http://nano.foe.org.au/node/233. For more information on nanotechnology and the Friends of the Earth Australia Nanotechnology Project, visit the website http://nano.foe.org.au/. See NEXUS 12/04-05 for our coverage of the ETC Group's report "Down on the Farm: The Impact of 40 ¢ NEXUS www.nexusmagazine.com DECEMBER 2008 — JANUARY 2009