The more I learn about what’s in our food, the more concerned, and outraged I get. I spent this morning immersed in Friends of the Earth’s report on ‘Out of the Laboratory and onto our Plates: Nanotechnology in Food & Agriculture’. Scary stuff! Consider this:
Friends of the Earth’s new report finds that untested nanotechnology is being used in more than 100 food products, food packaging and contact materials currently on the shelf, without warning or FDA testing . . .
‘Nanofood’ describes food which has been cultivated, produced, processed or packaged using nanotechnology techniques or tools, or food to which manufactured nanomaterials have been added.
Nanomaterials can be used as more potent food colorings, flavorings and nutritional additives, antibacterial ingredients for food packaging, and more potent agrochemicals and fertilizers. For example, nanomaterials can be in the packaging around your crackers, provide the color of the meat you buy, and supply the added nutrients in the shake you feed to your toddler . . .Nanomaterials are an untested new technology and not well researched. The long term repercussions of using them in our food are not known. Nanoparticles have been shown in preliminary studies to be more chemically reactive than larger particles and when they find their way into our bodies, they can potentially wreak havoc. We also don’t know how much we can safely ingest without harm, but we do know that some studies have already shown that nanomaterials can adversely affect our immune system . . .
- Nanofood – Friends of the Earth image
Here is the list of companies engaged in nanofood technology, many of them popular household names:
And the result is:
and this:
and this:
For now, until the FDA and the USDA get their act together, it seems that we, the people, are once more on our own, when it comes to food and our health. The good news is, there are a few actions we can take:
- Avoid consuming highly processed foods and beverages
- Favor organic whenever you can
- Exercise your rights as a citizen and petition elected officials to ban nanofood altogether.
- Circulate this article in the citizen media – Twitter, blogs, Facebook, etc
Your health, and the health of your children is at stake.
[...] (Cross-posted from La Marguerite blog) [...]
this may be the most useful post yet, because no matter what, where or when, we all must eat, and food distribution allows this sort of agriculture and processing abuse.
locavores one point, government zero! people neutral, so far…it’s breakfast time in the land of the sleep-walkers…
Marguerite calling all minds–wake-up -call: time to initiate a food revolution here–no more nanos in my food, please.
Here’s a Scientific American article discussing this report:
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=do-nanoparticles-in-food-pose-health-risk
I applaud the efforts for more transparency in our food chain.
Quote:
‘To date, there are few published industry, government or scientific studies on the health and environmental impacts of nanoparticles. Further complicating the matter is the fact that nanoparticles have been in the food supply for years. “Nanoparticles have been in food products for decades, we just never realized they were there,” says physicist Andrew Maynard, chief science advisor to the Wilson Center project. “We need to better understand how nano can be benign in foods, but [also] where the dangers are.”
For example, it remains unclear whether nanoparticles used in food packaging might migrate or leach into food or beverages. And it is completely unknown what impact a wide variety of these nanoparticles might have on human health.’
From the quick reading I’ve done on this subject (triggered by your post) I infer that nano particles in food is not the biggest thing we have to worry about. Better get people on a moderately healthy diet and exercise first.
Still, in my own thinking, I’m quite close to Micheal Pollan:
Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.
Better safe than sorry. But focus on what’s known to help first.
I don’t know if there are nano particles in the few processed products I regularly consume, and I don’t intend to delve deeply in it. I’ve got better things to spend my time on.
Here’s another article worth reading:
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/foodmonthly/futureoffood/story/0,,1971266,00.html
Thanks Nadine. Yes, we need to be ever more vigilant about our food and start a revolution beyond the limited circles of the green elite. So glad to have you at my side, sister!
Meryn, thanks for your feedback, and for the two excellent articles. Keep up all your good work!
Nano particles are known to be more active and differently active from their native forms, more pervasive and generally unknown. It’s a scandal and they are everywhere including foods, cosmetics paints and and and…
Hi Marguerite,
I know you’re interested in biodiversity – have you seen this?
http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2009/01/excavating_the_kingdom_of_the.php
Amazing video, Simon. This gives me high hopes for the collective intelligence of the human race.
You’re an optimist Meryn!
Simon, I’m just thinking: Hey, if ants can, why couldn’t we? It’s not like we have less brain power, or less powerful means of communication.
Thanks for this extremely informative post… WOW! Between irradiation, GMO’s, pesticides, herbicides, nanoparticles, it seems like our “protective” agencies are one taco short of a combination platter!
As always I try to eat local, eat organic, eat whole foods…
Wendy, look for my upcoming website/blog, Grocery Chick, an organizing community for health conscious food shoppers – all that info will be served on a combination platter convenient for all to use.
Thanks Simon, for remembering. And for sharing this awesome video!
Wow, this is some scary info. Who exactly do the industry executives rely on for assurances about the safety of these substances, the scientists that invent and sell the applications?
Amazing video, Simon. This gives me high hopes for the collective intelligence of the human race.
What an article.. Thanks for bringing awareness to this litte known subject.