FDA Spokesperson Says Regulatory Authority Is Sufficient to Address Nanotechnology

According to a June 8, 2009, article, Dr. Annette McCarthy of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition stated on June 6, 2009, at the Institute of Food Technologists’ annual meeting that the “regulatory authority is sufficient to address nanotechnology but there are further questions.” McCarthy recommended that petitions to the FDA seeking acceptance of a nanotech food additive or coloring should address its “impact on identity and toxicity.” According to McCarthy, the idea of a Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) standard is not out of the question. Although a company “would have a hard time today” proving that a nanotechnology is generally recognized as safe, McCarthy thinks that “two years down the line, it could be a slam dunk; it could be very simple.