by Sarah Hills - FoodBizDaily.com London
January 08 2010 - The Food and Drink Federation has leapt to the defence of its members after a Lords committee criticised the food industry for being secretive about nanotechnology research.
The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee report, 'Nanotechnologies and Food', claimed that the food industry was failing to be transparent about its research into the uses of nanotechnologies and nanomaterials.
It said that the approach of food companies was to not publish or discuss details of its research, and while the food industry is right to be concerned about negative public reactions to developments in nanotechnologies, appearing to be secretive about its research “is exactly the type of behaviour which may bring about the public reaction it is trying to avert”.
Responding to the report, Julian Hunt, FDF's director of communications, said: “Given that nanotechnology is in its infancy in the food and drink sector and that bringing new innovations to market is a long and complex process, we are surprised that the report seems to criticize the food industry for an apparent reluctance to communicate extensively on this subject.
“Understandably, there are many questions and unknowns about the potential future uses of nanotechnologies in our sector, and there is much work still to be done by scientists, governments and regulators, as well as the food and drink industry.”
However, he added: “We support the report's recommendation for the formation of an open discussion group to bring more transparency that we know is important to consumers, indeed we are already engaged in such initiatives, both at UK and EU level.”
The report highlights “significant gaps” in the understanding of how nanomaterials impact on the human body, and that it is not currently possible to predict what risks specific nanomaterials may present.
It is now urging the government and research councils to adequately fund research into potential health and safety risks arising from the use of nanomaterials in the food sector.
And it recommends that the Food Standards Agency should maintain a publicly available register of food and food packaging containing nanomaterials, rather than the blanket labelling of nanomaterials, to help consumers make informed choices.
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Food and Drink Federation (FDF) (UK)
Address: 6 Catherine Street London WC2B 5JJ
Telephone: 020 7836 2460
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About Food and Drink Federation (FDF) (UK)
The Food and Drink Federation is the voice of the UK food and drink industry, the largest manufacturing sector in the country.
Our sector directly employs almost 440,000 people, and as many as 1.2 million in ancillary services; it accounts for 14% of the UK's total manufacturing sector by value; and it is an invaluable partner to British agriculture, buying two thirds of what farmers produce. Our membership comprises manufacturers of all sizes as well as trade associations dealing with specific sectors of the industry.
We help our members operate in an appropriately regulated marketplace to maximise their competitiveness. We communicate our industry's values and concerns to Government, regulators, consumers and the media. We also work in partnership with key players in the food chain to ensure our food is safe and that consumers can have trust in it.