We have just published English, French and Spanish summaries of our report "Out of the laboratory and on to our plates: Nanotechnology in food and agriculture".

Click here to read "Summary – Out of the laboratory and on to our plates: Nanotechnology in food and agriculture".

New research published this week shows that multi-walled carbon nanotubes cause asbestos-like disease when injected into mice stomachs. The shocking findings have prompted The Australian Cancer Council's CEO Professor Ian Olver to call for new standards to manage nanoparticles in consumer products like sunscreen, cosmetics and medications. Professor Olver warned that we need much more information about the health risks posed by nanoparticles, including whether or not they can be taken up through our skin, before nano sunscreens should be sold commercially. Click here for the transcript of the interview with Professor Olver on ABC Radio National's The World Today.

New scientific evidence has been published that multi-walled carbon nanotubes – the so-called 'wonder material' of nanotechnology – cause mesothelioma in test mice. A scientific study published in the May issue of "Nature Nanotechnology" joins a February study published in the "Journal of Toxicological Sciences" in demonstrating that multi-walled carbon nanotubes induce asbestos-like pathogenicity when injected into mice stomachs.

Our new report (text only version here) reveals that at least 104 food, food packaging and agricultural products containing nano-ingredients are now on sale internationally. These include diet replacement milkshakes, cooking oil, tea and fortified fruit juice; food additives sold for use in processed meats, soft drinks, bakery and dairy products; long-life and antibacterial food packaging; and antibacterial kitchenware. In light of the evidence that many nano-ingredients used in these products pose new toxic risks for humans and the environment, Friends of the Earth is calling for a halt to the sale of nanofoods until they can be shown to be safe.

Australian academics have published a wide-ranging analysis of nanotechnology's likely transformation of food and agricultural systems. Dr Gyorgy Scrinis and Dr Kristen Lyons write: "Nanotechnology is attracting large-scale investment from global food corporations, is backed by academic science, and has captured financial and ideological support from many governments around the world ... This industrial and scientific collaboration strategically place the corporate sector to shape the research trajectory and commercial applications of nanotechnology, and the future of agri-food systems".

Concerned about nano? Have your say! The NSW Parliament is now holding a public inquiry into nanotechnology. This is one of the first opportunities members of the public and civil society groups have been given to make comment on Australia's handling of nano issues. The deadline for submissions is Friday 28 March. » read more

Friends of the Earth Australia has joined an international coalition of 44 environment, public interest and labour organisations calling for urgent precautionary management of nanotechnology’s toxicity risks to human health and the environment, and its significant social challenges. The group has released a joint statement that details the principles which should underpin precautionary and democratic management of this powerful new technology.

The nanotechnology industry is increasingly promoting nano as a “green” technology that will improve the environmental performance of existing industries, reduce our consumption of resources and energy, and allow us to achieve environmentally benign economic expansion. But Friends of the Earth is concerned that nanotechnology could facilitate the radical expansion of resource and energy consumption, and pollution and waste emission, while introducing a whole new range of serious ecological risks.