1. which can result in the formation of free radicals
2. that we should take the early warning signs associated with the toxicity of nanoparticles very seriously
3. that humans can ‘improve’ the taste, texture, appearance, nutritional content and longevity of food
4. Despite this warning
5. by developing even more potent chemical inputs
6. as nano surveillance tracks each step in the food chain
What are the key concerns about nanotechnology in food and agriculture?
Concerns about the use of nanotechnology in agriculture and food production relate to the further automation and alienation of food production, serious new toxicity risks for humans and the environment, and the further loss of privacy (A) . The failure of governments to introduce laws to protect the public and the environment from nanotechnology’s risks is a most serious concern.
Nanotechnology in agriculture is based on the premise that we can improve efficiency and productivity by rearranging atoms in seeds, (B) , rather than person-based surveillance of on-farm conditions, and by further automating inputs to plant growth.
Applications of nanotechnology to food processing assume (C) by manipulating it at the atomic level. It has even been argued that this will result in food that is ‘safer’. These assumptions are based on a flawed belief that humans can remake the natural world from the atom up – and get a better result. Unfortunately, history tells us that we are simply not very good at predicting the outcomes of complex systems.
History is similarly littered with examples of huge health and environmental problems that resulted from the failure to respond to early warning signs. This suggests (D) .
There is a small but growing body of toxicological literature that suggests that nanoparticles are more reactive, more mobile, and more toxic to humans and the environment. Preliminary scientific research has shown that many types of nanoparticles can result in increased oxidative stress (E) that can lead to cancer, DNA mutation and even cell death.
In its 2004 report, the United Kingdom’s Royal Society recognized the serious risks of nanotoxicity and recommended that “ingredients in the form of nanoparticles should undergo a full safety assessment by the relevant scientific advisory body before they are permitted for use in products”. (F) , two years after the Royal Society’s report, there are still no laws governing the use of nanomaterials in consumer products to ensure that they do not cause harm to the public using them, the workers producing them, or the environmental systems in which waste nanoproducts are released.
