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<\/a><\/p>\nNANOPARTICLES BEING USED IN FOOD: REPORT<\/h2>\n
New research shows evidence of widespread use of nano ingredients in popular food products despite the Food Standards regulator claiming there is no need to test for particles.<\/p>\n
Popular lollies, sauces and dressings have been found to contain nanotechnology that the national food regulator has long denied is being widely used in Australia’s food supply.<\/p>\n
For many years, Food Standards Australia and New Zealand has claimed there is “little evidence” of nanotechnology in food because no company had applied for approval. It has therefore not tested for nor regulated the use of nanoparticles.\u200b<\/p>\n
Frustrated at the inertia, environment group Friends of the Earth commissioned tests that found potentially harmful nanoparticles of titanium dioxide and silica in 14 popular products, including\u00a0Mars’ M&Ms, Woolworths white sauce and Praise salad dressing.<\/p>\n
“FSANZ kept saying there’s no evidence of it, we’re not going to do any testing. But all 14 samples came back positive,\u00a0indicating\u00a0widespread use of nanoparticles\u00a0in foods in Australia,” said the group’s emerging tech campaigner, Jeremy Tager.<\/p>\n “\u200bEverybody would want to think food is tested and assured to be safe before it hits supermarket shelves. FSANZ is conducting a living experiment with people. It has inexcusably failed in its role as a regulator.”<\/p>\n A human hair is about\u00a0100,000 nanometers wide.\u00a0Nanoparticles\u00a0are typically less than 100\u00a0nanometres\u00a0and are used to stretch the shelf life and improve the texture of food.<\/p>\n There is no conclusive evidence that nano-titanium dioxide, which whitens and brightens, and nano-silica, which prevents caking, are completely\u00a0safe\u00a0to eat. They have been shown to interfere with the immune system and cause cell damage.<\/p>\n The lab test of the 14 supermarket goods, which also included Eclipse chewy mints, Old El Paso\u00a0taco mix, and Moccona\u00a0Cappuccino,\u00a0was\u00a0conducted by a world-class\u00a0nanotechnology research facility at Arizona State University.<\/p>\n The Food Standards\u00a0code does not require nanoparticles to be declared on labelling. Nano-titanium dioxide (E171) can be simply described as the conventional-sized type and as “Colour\u00a0(171)”. Nano-silica (E551) can be listed as the conventional version and as “Anti-caking agent (551)”.<\/p>\n FSANZ told Fairfax Media it had not identified any health impacts linked with the consumption of the two types of nanoparticles.<\/p>\n “If FSANZ became aware of a potentially unsafe food or ingredient, we would conduct a risk assessment and recommend appropriate control measures,” a spokesperson said.\u00a0“It\u00a0considers the current risk assessment framework is generally sufficient to assess the safety of new or novel nanoscale materials.”<\/p>\n But Professor Thomas Faunce, from the Australian National University’s College of Law and College of Medicine, said the Friends of the Earth’s research exposed FSANZ’s safety claims as “a sham, a lie”.<\/p>\n He said at the very least companies should be required to declare nanoparticles on food labelling so that shoppers can make an informed choice, like in the European Union<\/a>.<\/p>\n “These aren’t naturally occurring nanoparticles. Cellular studies show that\u00a0titanium dioxide and silica nanoparticles can damage DNA, and it appears they\u00a0adversely impact the immune systems of rats in experiments,” he said.<\/p>\n “The jury is still out.\u00a0There’s absolutely no doubt that we don’t have absolutely conclusive evidence that they’re safe.”<\/p>\n Woolworths said all its branded products met Australian food safety requirements.\u00a0It did not specifically address questions on its possible use of the nano-titanium dioxide\u00a0and nano-silica.<\/p>\n “Where we do use food additives, these are permitted for use by the Food Standards Code,” a spokesperson said.<\/p>\n Global food and confectionery giant Mars also\u00a0did not address questions on its possible use of the nanoparticles.<\/p>\n Nestle said it\u00a0did\u00a0not add engineered nanoparticles\u00a0to any of its\u00a0products.<\/p>\n “Nanoparticles occur naturally in many foods …\u00a0We do use small amounts of titanium dioxide and silica in our products and these are food additives regulated and approved,” a spokesperson said.<\/p>\n FSANZ has previously told federal Parliament it was not aware of nanomaterials being used in food<\/a>. It said it had not conducted testing<\/a>\u00a0or surveyed food makers and importers<\/a>\u00a0to determine whether nanoparticles were in food.<\/p>\n It said there was\u00a0no evidence to justify using resources<\/a> to determine the presence of nanomaterials.\u00a0It also said there was no inventory of nanomaterials for use in foods<\/a> in Australia.<\/p>\n FSANZ said it has recently engaged a leading toxicologist to undertake a review of nanotechnology in food and expects the report at\u00a0the end of this year.<\/p>\n It was criticised by health campaigners last November for deciding to\u00a0exclude nanomaterials from its review<\/a> of chemical migration from packaging into food.<\/p>\n The Public Health Association of Australia said there was a growing body of evidence showing nanotechnology may potentially pose significant health, safety and environmental hazards.<\/p>\n
\nNanoparticles of silica found in Maggi’s Roast Meat Gravy. Photo: Arizona State University<\/i><\/cite><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nNanoparticles of titanium dioxide found in Mentos Pure Fresh Gum. Photo: Arizona State University<\/i><\/cite><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nProfessor Thomas Faunce is a nanotechnology expert at the ANU. Photo: Supplied<\/i><\/cite><\/p>\n<\/div>\n