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Presence of nanos in food: what state of play?

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By AVICENN Team – Last Modified February 2023

Presence of nanos in food: what state of play?

Nanos are added to more than 900 food products: this was revealed by an ANSES survey in 20201See Nanomaterials in food products, ANSES Opinion, May 2020. The figure rises to 4 products when we consider manufactured nanomaterials whose presence is not necessarily proven but in any case suspected.
Although these figures were calculated before theban of E171 in food from 2020, they are no less staggering. However, when you want to dig deeper, it is very difficult to identify precisely the food products that contain these nanos and what they are used for. Let’s zoom in together to try to better understand…

Nanos in our food products? The fog clears

Inaccurate information about nanos in foodstuffs

It is in fact very difficult to have a precise idea of ​​the applications of nanotechnology in the food industry: little information is available on the types of nanomaterials under study or already used, as well as on the quantities and corresponding uses, as well as on the companies concerned. 

In the words of ANSES in 2020, " the exhaustive identification of food products containing nanomaterials is very complex”2THEOpinion and NA reportSES of 2020 are mainly based on the analysis of the databases of theOqali and GNPD, which do not give a complete view of the market. Among the obstacles: the lack of sources allowing the identification of these products, the limits of European regulations and definition problems of the term “nanomaterials”.

Due to a lack of reliable data, the apps Yuka " or " Which product ? (of Que Choisir) cannot offer to carry out research on the presence or absence of nanos in products.

Cautious companies… at least in terms of communication

Agri-food companies are, to say the least, demonstrating “caution” – not to say opacity – regarding their activities or uses of nanomaterials and/or nanotechnologies.

Not to mention here the obligation tolabeling [nano] which is not respected (see below), many organizations have tried to obtain information from food companies on the presence of nanomaterials in their products, without success...  

A few examples… not very exemplary

Since 2008 in the United States, theNGO As You Sow asked McDonald's and Kraft Foods if they used nanomaterials in their food products and packaging. Their exchanges had led these two American food giants to create a specific page on their respective websites3“Nanotechnology” page of www.aboutmcdonalds.com : “McDonald's Corporation is working to understand the use of nanotechnology and its application in food and packaging products. Given the current uncertainty related to potential impacts of nano-engineered materials, McDonald's does not currently support the use by suppliers of nano-engineered materials in the production of any of our food, packaging and toys” – Content uploaded in 2008, unchanged since (as of May 2013),4Nanotechnology page of www.kraftfoodsgroup.com : Currently we're not using nanotechnology. But as a leading food company, we need to understand the potential this technology may hold for us in terms of food safety, product quality, nutrition and sustainability. That is why our research and development teams always keep their eyes on the scientific research, as well as consider potential applications where nanotechnology may be used in packaging material. (…) If we ever intend to use nanotechnology, we will make sure that the appropriate environmental, health and safety concerns have been addressed. This includes going through our own stringent quality-control processes, as well as working with our suppliers to make sure the proper assessments have been completed. » – Content uploaded in 2009, unchanged since (as of May 2013) where they assure not to use nanotechnologies, while acknowledging to study the possibilities they can offer5Kraft Foods created a nanotechnology laboratory in 1999, then in 2000 a “Nanotek” consortium (involving fifteen universities and research laboratories) which it closed four years later while continuing to work on this subject and to communicate with the FDA. in the USA – cf. Nanotech-based synthetic food colorings, frying oil preservatives and packaging coated with antimicrobial agents have quietly entered the market, Information release, October 11, 2006.

In 2012, the same NGO As you say sent a questionnaire to 2500 agri-food companies on their use (or not) of nanomaterials: only 26 companies replied (only two of them having declared that their products contained nanomaterials)6See As You Sow, Slipping Through the Cracks: An Issue Brief on Nanomaterials in Foods, February 2013..

In 2013, whenAVICENN realized his investigation of nanos in food (put online in the form of a file on the siteveillenanos.fr and presented to the ANSES dialogue committee the same year), his questions to the sector remained unanswered.

In 2014, Ofi AM surveyed 60 Stoxx 600 companies to find out their use of nanoparticles; of the 30 companies questioned involved in the field of agri-food, only 5 (all specialized in beverages) answered… that they did not use nanoparticles7Nanotechnology, a new CSR issue?, Hélène Canolle, Ofi AM, September 30, 2014 (slide 47).

In January 2015, the magazine 60 millions de consommateurs revealed that nearly 75 out of 100 agri-food companies contacted (Nestlé, Danone, Heinz, Mars, Panzani, Nespresso, Toupargel, etc.) had not responded to the letter that the magazine had sent them in October 2014 in which they were asked whether they used nanoparticles in the form of additives (E551, E550, E170, E171, E172), nanotextures, ingredients in nanoencapsulation or nanomaterials used in food packaging8Food safety: are we eating food nanoparticles?, 60 million consumers, n°500, January 2015 and Nanoparticles in food: the law of silence, 60 million consumers, March 2015.

And since 2009, theANSES has, on numerous occasions, asked the players in the food chain to obtain more information on the presence of nanomaterials in their products, without receiving any actionable response.

The r-nano register: a list of nano substances… without the possibility of identifying the products that contain them

Since 2013, companies must declare each year, within the r-nano register, the nanomaterials they import, produce or distribute in France. But industry federations have weighed in on the register's design in such a way that even ANSES, which runs the register, cannot know what products end up in. ultimately the nanomaterials registered in the database.
The register is nevertheless in the process of being improved to allow better traceability. To be continued then…

+ info on r-nano improvements

Inventories often out of date, always fragmented

Turnkey inventories consumer products (including food products) containing nano exist, but their reliability is limited because they are developed from declarations by manufacturers or hypotheses on the composition of the products (often without possible verification, for lack of financial means , human and/or technical). Furthermore, with the exception of the NanoDatabase Danish, they are not regularly updated.

And little or no mention on the labels

In 2014, the“nano” labeling has become mandatory on food products. But since then, mentions [nano] are still extremely rare, as several associations and the DGCCRF have already pointed out.

To overcome the lack of information, tests are now possible

Identifying food products that contain nanoparticles of concern has long been an (almost) impossible mission – if we stick to publicly available and free data. Fortunately, some metrological advances now make it possible to identify these nanoparticles and finally make them “visible”.

In early 2016, the RTS (Radio Télévision Suisse) had tried in vain to find a laboratory in Switzerland, Holland and Germany to test several products including a bottle of ketchup, but no laboratory had been able to analyze them9Cf. the program “A good hearer”: Nanoparticles on our plates, the big secret, May 3 2016. In France, the national metrology and testing laboratory (LNE) has the equipment and expertise to do so10See in particular How to characterize and measure nanoparticles in food products?, LNE, Webinar, February 2, 2017 andUT2A de Pau is also working on the detection of nanoparticles in food. These two laboratories work in particular on behalf of the DGCCRF. Other work is in progress on the subject in France and abroad.11See Stakeholder workshop on small particles and nanoparticles in food, EFSA, March 31-April 1, 2022.

Laboratory tests are thus the only solution available to associations such as the control authorities… but also to companies wishing to verify the statements (not always reliable) of their suppliers. These tests have the disadvantage of being very expensive, but it is unfortunately only in the face of objective proof of the presence of nanoparticles in the products that certain brands agree to give their attention to the nano question.

Tests carried out at the expense of the company

Since 2016, tests have been carried out at the expense of associations and taxpayers (for those carried out by the DGCCRF) each time highlighting the presence of nanoparticles in food in France, without the products containing them being labeled [nano ], contrary to what the regulations have imposed since 2014:

Tests carried out by NGOs in Europe
  • in 2016, the first tests of the association Act for the Environment, established the presence of unlabeled nanoparticles in six products analyzes : LU biscuits, Malabar chewing gum, William Saurin veal blanquette and Carrefour spices, then raspberry flavored “Tête brûlées” sweets and NEW'R chewing gum from Leclerc.
  • in August 2017, the magazine 60 Millions de consommateurs in turn revealed that the 18 products on which the association had tests carried out also contained nanomaterials12See Stop nanoparticles, 60 Millions de consommateurs, Monthly – No. 529 – September 2017 (published August 27, 2017)
  • in January 2018, the magazine's tests Que Choisir identified it in 7 food products13Nanoparticles – Beware, they are hiding everywhere!, Que Choisir, Monthly n° 566, February 2018
  • in September 2018, Friends of the Earth Germany published analysis results of Jacobs cappuccino powder and Wrigleys chewing gum, containing 100% silicon dioxide nanoparticles (E551) and 8% titanium dioxide nanoparticles (E171) respectively14See Hintergrundpapier zu den BUND-Tests bei Wrigleys-Kaugummi und Jacobs-Cappuccino-Pulver , BUND (Friends of the Earth Germany), September 2018
  • in May 2019, the Italian consumer association Altroconsumo published the results of tests carried out on food products, showing high levels of nanoparticles in the food additives E171, E174 (silver) and E551 (silica) but not reported on the label15See Nanoparticle di additivi negli alimenti. Chidiamo il bando dell'E171, Altroconsumo, May 2019
  • in June 2019, the Belgian magazine Health test revealed that the E171 and the E551 contained in the 9 food products tested contain nanoparticles, in varying proportions (ranging from 7 to 80% for the 6 products containing E171, 100% for the 3 products containing E551), without mention [nano] on the packaging16See “Nanomaterials – Everywhere without us knowing it”, Health Test n°151June 2019
  • in July 2019, the Spanish magazine OCU-Master Purchase also revealed that the E171 and E551 contained in the 8 food products tested contain nanoparticles, in varying proportions (ranging from 27 to 76% for the 4 products containing E171, 100% for the 4 products containing E551) , without mention [nano] on the packaging17See “Comemos nanopartículas sin saberlo”, OCU-Compra Maestra No. 449, July-August 2019.

Under pressure from associations, the DGCCRF (repression of fraud) in turn carried out tests which it presented on several occasions18For example :
– On December 14, 2017, during the ANSES "nano and health" dialogue committee
– On January 16, 2018, at the National Consumer Council (CNC) (see the press release from the Ministry of the Economy), then to AVICENN, Acting for the Environment and France Nature Environnement (FNE)
– On March 29, 2018, during the LNE “nanomaterials and cosmetics” technical day
– On April 10, 2018, during a round table, organized by the Ministry of the Economy, bringing together professionals on the presence of nanoparticles in food products
– November 26, 2018, during the ANSES “nano and health” dialogue committee, confirming by findings drawn up by the associations: in almost all of the food products tested and composed of additives, nanoparticles have been detected… without the labeling mentioning [nano].

+ info on the regulations & controls of nanos in food

In line with these efforts, AVICENN carried out in 2022 a series of tests of products on around twenty everyday consumer products in total, including food products in which unlabeled nanos have been identified (nanoparticles of silica in a sachet of Knorr soup, Aosta ham, Herta pie dough, Guigoz infant milk , Solgar Vitamin C).  

+ info on AVICENN product tests

Tests and checks have led to corporate accountability

The entire sector is now made aware of labeling obligations and the risks for the consumer. More and more brands and distributors wish to market "nano-free" products (so as not to have to label them and/or as a precautionary principle) and several brands and distributors have embarked on steps to eliminate nanoparticles (or additives containing them) of their products.

Brand and distributor commitments
  • In 2017, System U included "substances in nanoparticle state" in the 90 controversial substances for which it has set up a “Substitution Policy” (for U brand products).
  • En 2017, Synadiet, the national union of food supplements, has set up a dedicated project group which has identified two lines of work19See Activity report 2017, Synadiet, 2018:
    – work to identify ingredients that can be used in the form of nanoparticles in food supplements, including a survey of suppliers of substances that can be found in the form of nanoparticles
    – work on alternatives to existing nanos or those under study, the objective being to propose a “catalogue of alternatives”, and to list the analytical difficulties encountered, and the solutions found. Avicenn asked Synadiet several times to find out more, without getting a response.
  • Mi 2018, we counted for example William Saurin, Mars, Lutti, Verquin, Sainte-Lucie, Picard, Manufacture Cluizel, Motta, Malabar, Fleury Michon, as well as Carrefour, Leclerc, Auchan, System U*, and the list grew even longer October 2018 with Casino then in November 2018 with the famous peanut M&M's de Mars (see it "green list" from infonano.org).
  • End June 2018, National Confectionery Union made public his charter of ethics, in which 100% of confectioners “committed to eliminating titanium dioxide from their products”. The charter formalizes a decision taken in 2017: 90% of confectioners have already eliminated E171 in mid-2018. “Science is advancing, security requirements too. We need to go beyond regulations and anticipate consumer expectations.” has indicated Florence Pradier, general secretary of the “Confectioners of France”.
  • Since 2018, the Italian group Perfetti Van MelleOwner Mentos and lollipops Chupa Chups, happens in all of its recipes of E171, composed of (nano)particles of titanium dioxide20How Mentos and Chupa Chups managed to do without titanium dioxide, The New Factory, January 2, 2020.
  • En December 2019, Acting for the Environment published a list of brands and brands that have removed E171 from their products. The NGO had identified less than 30 products containing E171.
System U campaign, 2017 – “substances in nanoparticle state” are among the 90 “controversial substances”

Many brands now require “nano-free” ingredients from their suppliers; they have the possibility of constraining them or of asking for penalties if they do not respect their contract.

But beware of the ostrich policy: brands can be worried if it turns out that the certificates from their suppliers (certifying that the ingredients are not nanomaterials) are incomplete or erroneous. Brands have an obligation to check what they put in their products and, in the event of a breach, are considered responsible and can also be prosecuted!

Which nano substances used and for which desired effects?

Nano applications in foodstuffs

What nanos are these?

In its investigation report of May 2020 on manufactured nanomaterials in food,ANSES list at least 37 nano substances used as food additives or ingredients (in more than 900 food products):

  • 7 substances for which the presence of nanoparticles is “ proven "
    • le calcium carbonate
    • titanium dioxide (TiO2)*21The report is based on data prior to the entry into force of theban on E171 in 2020 in France
    • iron oxides and hydroxides
    • calcium silicate
    • tricalcium phosphates
    • synthetic amorphous silicas (SAS)
    • organic compounds and composites
  • and 30 substances where it is "suspected" among which are aluminum, silver, gold, magnesium phosphates, ferric ammonium citrate, sodium, potassium and calcium salts of fatty acids , etc.

The technological functions sought 

According to ANSES, two main technological functions are sought for nanos in food: 

  • improvement of the product or its palatability (nanos are used to modify the structure, the color, the texture of the food)
  • increased bioavailability of the product 
ANSES report, May 2020

In June 2021, EFSA published a report on the physico-chemical characterization of nanoparticles in food additives, according to which:

  • between 64 and 73% of titanium dioxide nanoparticles were present in E171 additives on the market (it was not yet banned at the time in the EU)
  • more than 97% for silver particles contained in E174 additives
  • no gold nanoparticles had been detected in the E175 additive.

Here is also what the scientific literature and marketing can identify as existing or future applications:

Applications presented as innovative solutions to nutritional and/or health problems

It has been twenty years since the promises of nano applications in food bloom22Nanotechnology will revolutionize the food system (and other familiar sentences), advertising products that are tastier, less salty, less fatty, more vitaminized, more colorful, etc. While many voices have been heard deploring the weakness of studies of risks associates, the feasibility and/or the real interest of these promises also raise questions.

And it seems that these applications remain relatively few in number:

  • decrease in fat content23See Nanotechnology used to develop low-fat dairy innovations, Food ingredients first, August 29, 2017, in salt24See Nanotechnology helps food manufacturers make healthier food, July 30, 2012: “A novel product from Tate & Lyle, Soda-lo, was one of only a few products being marketed, he said. It enabled added salt levels to be reduced by up to 30% in foods such as bread, pizza bases, pastry, savory pie fillings, cheese and baked snacks, without loss of flavor or structure”., calories or food emulsifiers, without altering their taste (the surface/volume ratio being greater at the nanometric scale, the same weight of fat or salt, in nano form, making it possible to cover a larger area of ​​the food surface)
  • fight against food poisoning : nanoparticles can be used to fight against food infections caused by pathogens (such as E. coli or salmonella bacteria for example)
Applications for technical facilities, without nutritional or health advantage

Aadditives anti-caking agents : 

  • of silica dioxide nanoparticles (SiO2: E550/551) used to absorb moisture and prevent caking of powders (salt, sugar, spices, cocoa, soups and instant noodles, seasonings for minced meat and burrito or guacamole, etc.27Note: the only product containing silica labeled [nano] identified between 2014 and 2016 was a tomato powder Auchan, spotted by the consumer association CLCV. But a few other products containing silica were then spotted with the mention [nano].
  • of calcium carbonate nanoparticles (E170) andmagnesium oxide (E530) 

Changing the aromas, flavors, colors and textures of food :

Applications to extend the shelf life of products

The products most concerned are also those affecting children, a more sensitive category of the population: infant milk, ice cream and sorbet and breakfast cereals, among others. With what health risks?

+ info on the risks of nanos in food

Since theban on E171 in food in France in 2020 then in Europe in 2022, alternatives have been marketed, without it being possible to determine whether their safety is well guaranteed:

And in materials in contact with food? 

Nano research in the field of food packaging gives rise to numerous academic publications on the subject37See Applications of nano-materials in food packaging: A review, Adeyeye SA and Ashaolu TJ, Journal of Food Process Engineering, 44 (7), July 2021. They are becoming more complex and are now also extending to applications such as biological nanosensors incorporated into so-called "intelligent" packaging to check that the cold chain has been respected, to ensure food traceability or to detect and report deterioration, bacteria or contaminants in foodstuffs38See for example:
- A sensor to measure the freshness of packaged food, Engineering techniques, April 2020
- Packaging is getting “smart”, Swiss Info, March 25, 2013
- Gold Nanoparticle-Modified Carbon Electrode Biosensor for the Detection of Listeria monocytogenes, Industrial Biotechnology, 9(1): 31-36, February 2013..

In 2013 in France, the National Research Agency (ANR) included in its call for P2N projects (Nanotechnologies and nanosystems), among other things, a call to support research on “the contribution of nanotechnology to smart packaging and coatings”39Call for P2N Nanotechnologies and Nanosystems projects, National Research Agency, 2013 Edition. To find out about the work in progress in France, see in particular the report of the Joint Ethics Advisory Committee for Agricultural Research, CIRAD / INRA, Opinion on nanoscience and nanotechnology, December 2012, part 4.. The European NanoPack project has been awarded €7,7 million by the European Union under Horizon 2020, to develop nanotechnology-based antimicrobial packaging to improve food safety and reduce food waste407,7 million euros for NanoPack smart packaging, Agromedia.fr, October 2017.

Which nanos and for which uses in packaging?

The applications of nanotechnology in materials in contact with food (MCDA) concern, for example, packaging, cutting surfaces, kitchen instruments, refrigerator walls, water filters, etc.

They aim to:

  • strengthen their strength, rigidity and resistance to degradation: nano titanium nitride to prevent scratches on plastic packaging, for example
  • increase their transparency (plastic packaging)
  • allow better preservation of food by protecting food or drink against:
  • or even promote better flow of sauces42Nano coating gets all the ketchup out of the bottle, Packaging News, May 23, 2012.

In the ANSES report of 2020, are identified:

  • 5 nano substances used in the formulation of MCDAs for which the presence of nanos is proven:
    • money,
    • zinc oxide,
    • titanium nitride,
    • carbon black
    • silicon dioxide
  • 11 substances in which the presence of manufactured nanos is suspected: iron oxide, gold, platinum, titanium dioxide, titanium dioxide coated with octyltriethoxysilane, modified montmorillonite, silver zeolite, zero-valent iron kaolinite, bentonite zero-valent iron, iron bentonite, iron zeolite.

Within the consumer product tests carried out by AVICENN in 2022, titanium dioxide nanoparticles were identified in the only packaging tested: an absorbent wipe from a Le Gaulois chicken cutlet.  

Concerns about transfer of nanos from packaging to food

A point of debate concerns the possible migration of nanomaterials from packaging (or surface coatings of kitchen instruments) to the foodstuffs they contain or with which they come into contact; the terms of this transfer and the risks they could entail are still largely unknown and very variable since multiple factors are taken into account (temperature, duration of packaging, nature of packaged foodstuffs: liquid or solid, etc. .). The migration of chemical products (nano or not) contained in food packaging towards the foodstuffs they contain is obviously a major issue for the years to come.43On the migration of nanoparticles or their residues from packaging to food, see in particular:
- Nano-Food Packaging: An Overview of Market, Migration Research, and Safety Regulations, Journal of Food Science, Bumbudsanpharoke N and Ko S, 80(5), May 2015
– Kuorwell KK et al., Review of Mechanical Properties, Migration, and Potential Applications in Active Food Packaging Systems Containing Nanoclays and Nanosilver, Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety 2015
– Muncke, J. et al., Food packaging and migration of food contact materials: will epidemiologists rise to the neotoxic challenge?, Journal of Epidemiology and Community HealthJuly 2014.

according to the 2020 ANSES report, “migration has been described as unlikely when these nanomaterials are integrated into the matrix of packaging intended, for example, to modify their structures or even their mechanical, thermal and UV resistance. However, deliberately bringing these nanomaterials into contact with the food matrix, particularly in the case of antimicrobial applications (silver nanomaterials in particular), can promote their transfer into food. Studies have shown the migration of silver nanomaterials, used as antimicrobials, from plastic materials”.

Without forgetting a another major question posed by these nano-additive packaging: what are their fate and behavior in the environment? et what impacts will they have on ecosystems? Have the packaging treatment sectors begun to anticipate issues related to the recycling of packaging containing antimicrobial substances, fungicides, etc.? ? Nothing is less sure…

+ info on the risks of nanos for the environment

Nanos in “edible coatings”?

Waxes and other coating agents are authorized on certain fruits and vegetables in the European Union. Although the regulations do not authorize nanoparticles for these uses at this stage, research is being carried out in this direction, praising the benefits of solutions based on nanoparticles of silver or zinc in particular, applied directly to fruit for example (strawberries , apricots, etc.), to improve their conservation44See for example:
- Titanium dioxide nanomaterials coated films in food packaging: a mini review, Remya RR and Julius A, Vegetos (2022)
- Nanotechnology-enhanced edible coating application on climacteric fruits, Odetayo T et al., Food Science & Nutrition 2022
- Impact of Starch Coating Embedded with Silver Nanoparticles on Strawberry Storage Time, Taha IM et al., Polymers, 1;14(7):1439, 2022
- Preparation and characterization of silver nanoparticles and their use for improving the quality of apricot fruits, Shahat M et al., Al-Azhar Journal of Agricultural Research, 45(1): 38-55, 2020
- Antimicrobial Nanoparticles Incorporated in Edible Coatings and Films for the Preservation of Fruits and Vegetables, Xing Y et al., Molecules, 24, 2019.

Indirect sources of nano contamination of our food

In addition to the entry routes mentioned above (migration from packaging or direct applications in foodstuffs), residues of manufactured nanomaterials can be present in our digestive tract from different sources.

Contamination via animal feed, fertilizers and pesticides

Nanomaterials contained in animal feed45See for example:
- in French : Combination colistin – nanoparticles: less antibiotic for a preserved efficiency, ANSES, 3 June 2022
- in English : Application of encapsulated nano materials as feed additive in livestock and poultry: a review, Rajendran D et al., Veterinary Research Communications, 46:315–328, 2022 and/or phytosanitary products and fertilizers (and those present in the sludge from treatment plants used as fertilizer) could move up the food chain46See for example:
– a perspective of researchers and industrialists: Center of Innovation for Nanobiotechnolgy (COIN), Agriculture Nanotechnology: Early-Stage, but Growing, October 2011;
– an NGO perspective: Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), Nanomaterials In Soil – Our Future Food Chain?, March 2013. Knowledge on the use of nanomaterials as pesticides or fertilizers is still very incomplete47Nanopesticides: State of Knowledge, Environmental Fate, and Exposure Modeling, Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 43 (16), July 2013; Chemical companies now adding untested nanoparticles to pesticide formulas, Natural News, January 13 2014, but it has been shown, for example, that nanoparticles contained in sprayed pesticides can pass through the peel of fruits and vegetables48See Detection of Engineered Silver Nanoparticle Contamination in Pears, J Agric Food Chem, 2012; 60 (43):10762-7 (a summary and commentary in French were published by theANSES in March 2013)..

An environment polluted by nanomaterial residues

More generally, residues of manufactured nanomaterials can also be present in our food without having been intentionally introduced by the food industry, but more prosaically because of the release and the dispersion of manufactured nanomaterials in the environment and their transfer into the food chain:

Source: Cedervall et. hey, Food chain transport of nanoparticles affects behavior and fat metabolism in fish, PLoS ONE, 2012.

In this section:

Nanos in our food products? The fog clears
Inaccurate information about nanos in foodstuffs
To overcome the lack of information, tests are now possible
Tests carried out at the expense of the company
Tests and checks have led to corporate accountability
Which nano substances used and for which desired effects?
Nano applications in foodstuffs
And in materials in contact with food? 
Nanos in “edible coatings”?
Indirect sources of nano contamination of our food
Contamination via animal feed, fertilizers and pesticides
An environment polluted by nanomaterial residues

A remark, a question? This sheet produced by AVICENN is intended to be supplemented and updated. Please feel free to contribute.

CONTACT US

News on the subject

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ANSES reaffirms the need to limit oral exposure to nano titanium dioxide
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08/08/2022
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The other files in the file

File
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Health Risks of Nanos in Food
File
food
The ban on TiO2 in food (E171)
File
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Supervision of nanos in food
more files

The next nano appointments

5
Apr.
2023
“Nano and Health” dialogue committee (ANSES, Maisons-Alfort)
Maisons-Alfort
Dialogue Committee
  • 14th meeting of the “nano and health” dialogue committee
  • Organizer: ANSES
  • Website : www.anses.fr
11
Mai
2023
Nanomaterials, how to identify them more efficiently? (LNE, Paris)
Paris
Education
  • Technical Day
  • Organizer: National Metrology and Testing Laboratory (LNE)
  • On the agenda: identification of nanomaterials, recent technological innovations in terms of particle size characterization, areas for progress to be considered 
  • Upcoming program
  • Website : www.lne.fr/…
more info
5
June
2023
NanoSafe conference 2023 (CEA, Grenoble)
Grenoble
Conference
  • 8th International Conference on Health Issues for a Responsible Approach to Nanomaterials
  • June 5-9, 2023
  • Organizer: Commissariat for Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies (CEA)
  • Website : www.cea.fr/cea-tech/pns/nanosafe/…  
more info
View all

Sheet initially created in May 2013

Notes & references

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