The use of nanoparticles (NPs) in food production, processing, and packaging has been a topic of increasing concern due to potential health risks. According to a recent review, despite their widespread use, there are currently no established safety assessment procedures for NPs at the national level in many developed countries.
NPs have been utilized in various industries, including electronics, optics, chemistry, food, biology, and medicine, due to their unique properties. In the food industry, they are used to sterilize, improve color, and increase stability. However, the ingestion of food containing NPs could potentially cause DNA damage, protein denaturation, and oxidative stress reactions, among other biological effects.
The lack of comprehensive understanding and practical means to detect the exposure dosage of NPs in food is highlighted by this paper. Traditional toxicology testing methods are currently used, but these have limitations and can lead to uncertainties in safety assessments.
The review also mentions that there is not enough research about how NPs and other ingredients in food work together. This lack of research restricts the development of effective, objective, and accurate safety evaluations of NPs in food.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), and the European Union (EU) have yet to definitively determine the safety of NPs in food. There is currently no data on the genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, and teratogenicity of NPs in food.
The review concludes that while there is no compelling evidence to suggest that food or food contact materials derived from nanotechnology are safer or more dangerous than traditional food or materials, there is evidence that eating food containing NPs can be detrimental to human health.
In China, there is only one national standard in this respect: GB 2760-2014 regulates the maximum amount of TiO2 (up to 10 g/kg) and SiO2 (20 g/kg) which can be used in candy, chocolate coating products, and solid drinks based on production needs.
The review calls for future safety evaluations of NPs for food to be based on the development of science and technology with a particular emphasis on the toxic mechanisms. It also highlights the need for further research into the impact of orally ingested NPs on gut microorganisms.
In summary, the review emphasizes the need for comprehensive and objective evaluations to develop scientific, integrated, and robust standards for NPs in food.

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