Guidance On Nanomaterials In Foods And Cosmetics Issued

FDA has finalized its overall approach for addressing nanotechnology and has issued guidelines for industry on the use of nanomaterials in foods and cosmetics. The guidelines are voluntary, however, so manufacturers are not required to follow them. The documents, released on June 24, provide industry with points to consider when determining whether a product involves the use of nanotechnology. The recommendations also encourage industry to consult with FDA on test methods and data needed to support a product’s safety determination before taking products that contain nanomaterials to market. “We are taking a prudent scientific approach to assess each product on its own merits and are not making broad, general assumptions about the safety of nanotechnology products,” FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg says. FDA proposed considerations for determining whether a product uses nanotechnology in 2011, and the agency released draft guidelines for the use of nanotechnology in foods and cosmetics in 2012. On June 24, FDA proposed guidelines for the use of nanotechnology in food for animals.