Nanoparticles in Our Food. Should We Worry?

I agree. I recently read an article that said the seas would rise at different rates around the world. I couldn't believe what I had read and they wouldn't show my strong reply.

Are they a stepbrother to Gizmodo?

Sometimes I suspect so.

I wondered if it was just me, but that's my opinion of SA too.

Really? What about viruses and bacteria? Which should be your real concern...

http://www.ck12.org/user:a3F1aWNrQHdlYmIub3Jn/section/Prokaryotes/

Just asking a question, I am referring to manmade nanoparticles. All life depends upon bacteria, and started with single celled life. We carry pounds of it on our skin and in our intstines. I take it you do not see any problem with manmade nanoparticles absorbed into the human body.

Well it certainly demands proactive research, but no I don't see a problem at this time....

"Though little is known about the effects of nanoparticles on humans and the environment, there has been hype surrounding nanotechnology and its possible dangers. Some nanoparticles are easily absorbed into the human body. Some studies suggest that nanoparticles can cause DNA mutation and cell damage.

Nanoparticles from industrial, medical and consumer use continue to make their way into landfills and water tables. Nobody really knows how long they will be there.

Given that some nanoparticles being produced have the tensile strength of the strongest man-made materials at this point, Im assuming they will be very persistent, said Stacey Harper, a post-doctoral research associate who works with Tanguay.

Still, nanotechnology has the potential to more safely provide benefits to humans previously achieved by the use of toxic chemicals, Tanguay said.

With a lack of information you cant make an assumption that (nanotechnology) is harmful or dangerous, he said.

Because of the threat of consumer backlash, manufacturers have a vested interest in the safety of the nanomaterials in their products, Tanguay said, and environmental engineers and toxicologists around the world are being proactive in the design of nanomaterials to ensure their safety."

http://epa.gov/ncer/events/news/2007/06_22_2007a_newsroom.html

What makes you so sure we absorb it? What is more scary that we can absorb it or that the body can not handle it at all? Will it then accumulate somewhere and do more harm then being absorbed?

Is poisoning more the area of concern? I think that is the idea from the original post. Is it something else?

It was a general question, looking for information. Usually it would depend on the amount of the substance involved, and any particular toxicity, or other way of damaging organs. I know nothing about the subject, but have wondered.

Yes pathogens are a big concern..... As far as the rest, sometimes it's best not to know what is legally exceptable

It's cute that the article links to a crowdsourced project to test the health risks of the nano particles, but it's laughable how short they are from their goal, and even more laughable as to how much they think they need to properly perform such tests.

My take on the whole thing - it's a little scary that there are nanoscale particles in my food (especially considering that I can't visibly see them), but it definitely doesn't surprise me as some of the other things I've come to find about "fast" and/or "highly processed" foods. Best solution I can come up with is becoming a hermit and setting up a small farm in the Himalayas.

But what if you are exposed to yeti fur or poop at your Himalayan farm?

What will that do to do?

Yeti's taste a lot like chicken............ But I only repeat what I hear.

It reminds me of an old Ray Bradbury short story about a guy who realized there is a skeleton living right inside him. OMG. Get it out!

No Ron. Your bar habits take care of all you need to be concerned about. At least for a well balanced real character you appear to be.

Nanoparticles? Let our great-great grand whatevers worry about something!

Worry? I think radiation from all the nuclear bomb tests beats out nanoparticles by a country mile. Especially if you add in the mess in Japan.

Agreed! Since the first nukes were tested, we have had radiation in EVERYTHING on earth. It's one way of testing the age of articles...radiation=newer than first nuke. Steel from ships sunk prior to nuke tests show no radiation contamination.

I don't know much about nutrition science or physiology but this was an interesting article. I notice an odd comment though. Did anyone else see this and think it strange? "But a whole range of novel nano-sized particles-ranging from tiny flakes of titanium dioxide to whiten powdered donuts to submicroscopic silver bits to kill microbes-are showing up today in food and food packaging on purpose." Then the next paragraph begins arguing that its a byproduct of food processing. Is it intentional or a byproduct - ????

You've been inhaling, ingesting, and absorbing nanoparticles all your life. Most people just call them molecules.

On the other hand, nano-tubes may be the end all of cure alls!

http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/2013/jun/13/nanotube-sensor-detects-lyme-disease

bar mutations that goes undetected.........