Tag Archives: Lord Krebs

Nano and food: don’t ask, don’t tell

Michael Berger’s Nanowerk Spotlight Feb. 2,2012 articleWhat’s happening with nanofoods?‘ answers a question I’ve been asking myself lately. As he points out (I have removed the links, please visit Berger’s article to pursue them),

Back in the early 2000’s, food nanotechnology seemed to be a very hot topic and large industrial food companies were eager to explore new opportunities offered by nanotechnology applications. Then, as critical voices from NGOs (see for instance FoE’s report: “Out of the laboratory and on to our plates: Nanotechnology in food and agriculture”) and regulators (UK House of Lords report: “Nanotechnologies and Food”) appeared, the food industry went into silent mode (see our Nanowerk Spotlight: “Food nanotechnology – how the industry is blowing it”). But that doesn’t mean that food nanotechnologies aren’t being researched and developed in labs around the world.

He goes on to describe the state of nanofood research on an application by application basis (culled from an article inTrends in Food Science & TechnologyFood applications of nanotechnologies: An overview of opportunities and challenges for developing countries” [behind a paywall]). Here’s my excerpt from Berger’s article,

Application Status
Processed nanostructured or -textured food (e.g. less use of fat and emulsifiers, better taste) A number of nanostructured food ingredients and additives understood to be in the R&D pipeline; eg. mayonnaise
Nanocarrier systems for delivery of nutrients and supplements in the form of liposomes or biopolymer-based nanoencapsulated substances A number are commercially available in some countries and over the internet
Organic nanosized additives for food, supplements and animal feed Materials range from colors, preservatives, flavorings to supplements and antimicrobials
Inorganic nanosized additives for food, health food, and animal feed A range of inorganic additives (silver, iron, silica, titanium dioxide, selenium, platinum, calcium, magnesium) is available for supplements, nutraceuticals, and food and feed applications

Berger goes on to enumerate more applications and extends the discussion into the area of public perceptions, industry fears of another ‘Frankenfoods/GM” panic, and corporate social responsibility.

On reading Berger’s article, I was reminded of my Oct. 11, 2011 posting abut a Coca Cola executive’s response to criticisms of corporate secrecy regarding nanofood research and applications from the UK’s House of Lords,

Lord Krebs, chairman of the Science and Technology Committee, scolded the sector over its “reluctance to put its head above the parapet and declare openly what kind of research was going on to develop nanotechnology in food”. The report [Nanotechnologies and Food: Science and Technology Committee Report] backed the introduction of a public register on the nano-research to assuage consumer anxiety.

But Dr Knowles [Dr. Mike Knowles, global scientific and regulatory affairs vice president for Coca-Cola] rejected the criticisms and said it was a failure of the committee to grasp basic commercial realities.

I’m pretty sure that Lord Krebs wasn’t suggesting that food and beverage companies reveal industrial secrets giving away competitive advantages but that they should let the public know what’s cooking in their labs. For anyone who’s interested in the current state of nanofood research, Berger’s recent Spotlight is an excellent place to start.

Coca-Cola’s vice president characterizes UK criticism of food industry’s secrecy about nanotechnology products as misguided

Maybe this isn’t the first food industry response to the report on nanotechnology and food/packaging made to the UK House of Lords but it does seem odd to still be responding some 18 months after the fact. At the least, I think Dr. Mike Knowles, global scientific and regulatory affairs vice president for Coca-Cola, could have given a more interesting reply (from the Oct. 10, 2011 article by Rory Harrington on FoodProductionDaily.com),

Lord Krebs, chairman of the Science and Technology Committee, scolded the sector over its “reluctance to put its head above the parapet and declare openly what kind of research was going on to develop nanotechnology in food”. The report [Nanotechnologies and Food: Science and Technology Committee Report] backed the introduction of a public register on the nano-research to assuage consumer anxiety.

But Dr Knowles rejected the criticisms and said it was a failure of the committee to grasp basic commercial realities.

“Nobody can stay in business if they disclose their commercial secrets to their competitors. We are doing as much as we can,” he said. “The House of Lords did not understand the arguments. I was disappointed with that aspect of the report. We need to explain the development of the technology and address concerns of non-governmental organisation (NGOs) and consumers. We will continue to engage with the public as consumer knowledge is vital if people are to embrace the technology.”

I did look at the report (my comments about it in a Jan. 7, 2010 posting and about the government debate in response to it in a March 29, 2010 posting) and don’t recall any suggestion to reveal trade secrets in either the report or subsequent government debate.

Knowles made his comments during the FoodDrinkEurope’s 4th annual Nanotechnology Stakeholder Dialogue Meeting on Oct. 5, 2011. From the Oct. 5, 2011 FoodDrinkEurope press release,

Speaking at the Fourth Nanotechnology Dialogue Day, Dr. Mike Knowles, Chairman of the FoodDrinkEurope Nanotechnology Expert Group commented: “Today’s meeting demonstrates the progress being made by food manufacturers for the fourth consecutive year in continuing to engage in an open, transparent and constructive dialogue with stakeholders around the important subject of nanotechnologies and their potential benefits for the consumer and society in addressing social, economic and environmental challenges of our time.  We hope that, with this Dialogue, the food industry is helping to address misconceptions and fears around the potential use of nanotechnologies in our industry and we look forward to continuing this process moving forward, keeping consumers fully informed of new developments.”

The FoodDrinkEurope organization does have a nanotechnology webpage where you can get more information about nanotechnology, stakeholder dialogues, European Union nano projects funded as part of the 7th Framework Programme, etc.