International Implications of Labeling Foods Containing Engineered Nanomaterials

Iron nanoparticles as food additives and food supplements, regulatory and legislative perspectives

Recently, the use of nanotechnology in food has gained great interest. Iron nanoparticles with unique chemical, physical and structural properties allow their potential use mainly as iron fortifiers, colorants and antimicrobial agents. However, in the market we can find only supplements and food colorants based on iron nanoparticles. Their use in food fortification has so far been focused only on in vitro and in vivo experimental studies, since the toxicological evaluation of these studies has so far been the basis for the proposals of laws and regulations, which are still in an early stage of development. Therefore, the aim of this work was to summarize the use of the different forms of iron nanoparticles (oxides, oxyhydroxides, phosphates, pyrophosphates and sulfates) as food additives and supplements and to resume the perspectives of legislation regarding the use of these types of nanoparticles in the food industry.

Responsible innovation of nano-agrifoods: Insights and views from U.S. stakeholders

To date, there has been little published work that has elicited diverse stakeholder views of nano-agrifoods and of how nano-agrifoods align with the goals of responsible innovation. This paper aims to fill this research gap by investigating views of nano-agrifoods, how well their development adheres to principles of responsible innovation, and potential challenges for achieving responsible nano-agrifood innovation. Using an online engagement platform, we find that U.S. stakeholder views of responsible innovation were dominated by environmental, health, and safety (EHS) contexts, considerations of societal impacts, opportunities for stakeholder engagement, and responding to societal needs. These views overlap with scholarly definitions of responsible innovation, albeit stakeholders were more focused on impacts of products, while the field of responsible innovation strives for more "upstream" considerations of the process of innovation. We also find that views of nano-agrifoods differed across applications with dietary supplements and improved whitening of infant formula viewed least favorably, and environmental health or food safety applications viewed most favorably. These findings align with the larger body of literature, whereby stakeholders are expected to be more supportive of nanotechnology used in agricultural applications compared to directly within food and food supplements. Overall, participants indicated they held relatively neutral views on research and innovation for nano-agrifoods being conducted responsibly, and they identified key challenges to ensuring their responsible innovation that were related to uncertainties in EHS studies, the need for public understanding and acceptance, and adequate regulation. In light of these results, we recommend future research efforts on EHS impacts and risk-benefit frameworks for nano-agrifoods, better understanding stakeholder views on what constitutes effective regulation, and addressing challenges with effective regulation and responsible innovation practices.

Barriers to responsible innovation of nanotechnology applications in food and agriculture: A study of US experts and developers

The use of nanotechnology and engineered nanomaterials in food and agriculture (nano-agrifood) sectors is intended to provide several potential benefits to consumers and society, such as the provision of more nutritious processed foods, edible food coatings to extend shelf lives of fresh cut produce, and more sustainable alternatives to traditional agrochemicals. The responsible innovation of nano-agrifoods may be particularly important to pursue given previous case studies involving other agrifood technologies that experienced significant public consternation. Here, we define responsible innovation following Stilgoej et al. (2013) that establishes processes to iteratively review and reflect upon one's innovation, engage stakeholders in dialogue, and to be open and transparent throughout innovation stages - processes that go beyond primary focuses of understanding environmental, health, and safety impacts of nano-enabled products and implementing safe-by-design principles. Despite calls for responsible nano-innovation across diverse sectors, it has not yet been clear what types of barriers are faced by nano-agrifood researchers and innovators in particular. This study therefore identifies and builds the first typology of barriers to responsible innovation as perceived by researchers and product developers working in nano-agrifood sectors in the United States. Our findings report 5 key barriers to responsible innovation of nano-agrifoods: Lack of Data (reported by 70% of all interview participants, and represented 34.6% of all barrier-related excerpts), Lack of Product Oversight (reported by 60% of participants, and represented 28.7% of excerpts), Need for Ensuring Marketability & Use (reported by 70% of participants, and represented 21.3% of all barrier-related excerpts), Need for Increased Collaboration (reported by 40% of participants, and represented 10.3% of excerpts), and finally Lack of Adequate Training & Workforce (reported by 30% of participants, and represented by 5.1% of excerpts). We also relate these key barriers across three main nano-innovation phases, including 1) Scientific and Technical R&D, 2) Product Oversight, and 3) Post-commercialization Marketability & Use, and discuss how these barriers may impact stakeholders as well as present opportunities to align with principles of responsible innovation. Overall, these findings may help illuminate challenges that researchers and innovators face in the pursuit of responsible innovation relevant for the field of nanotechnology with relevancy for other emerging food and agricultural technologies more broadly.

Nanotechnology-based approaches for food sensing and packaging applications

The rapid advancement of nanotechnology has provided opportunities for the development of new sensing and food packaging solutions, addressing long-standing challenges in the food sector to extend shelf-life, reduce waste, assess safety and improve the quality of food. Nanomaterials can be used to reinforce mechanical strength, enhance gas barrier properties, increase water repellence, and provide antimicrobial and scavenging activity to food packaging. They can be incorporated in chemical and biological sensors enabling the design of rapid and sensitive devices to assess freshness, and detect allergens, toxins or pathogenic contaminants. This review summarizes recent studies on the use of nanomaterials in the development of: (1) (bio)sensing technologies for detection of nutritional and non-nutritional components, antioxidants, adulterants and toxicants, (2) methods to improve the barrier and mechanical properties of food packaging, and (3) active functional packaging. The environmental, health and safety implications of nanomaterials in the food sector, along with an overview of regulation and consumer perception is also provided.

The advancement of nanotechnology has provided opportunities for the development of new sensing and food packaging solutions, addressing long-standing challenges to extend shelf-life, reduce waste, assess safety and improve the quality of food.