European Parliament Votes to Restrict Nanoscale Ingredients in Food

On July 7, 2010, the European Parliament (EP) voted that nanoscale ingredients should be banned from food in the European Union (EU) until the health and environmental risks they might pose are better understood, and that any nanoscale ingredients that are eventually authorized should be clearly labeled as such. The EP voted on several amendments to draft legislation concerning the authorization of novel foods, including a provision that would prohibit food from cloned animals or their offspring. The EP has been unable to reach agreement with the European Council on the legislation, largely because of the provision concerning cloned animals. The Council also disagrees that foods containing nanoscale ingredients should be systematically labeled, however. According to an EP spokesperson, the legislation likely will go to conciliation, during which the EP and European Council will attempt to negotiate a compromise after two readings have failed to produce an agreement. The legislation likely will be discussed again in the fall.