FDA Proposes Guidelines for Nanomaterials in Food and Cosmetics
On Friday, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed two new draft guidelines for the evaluation and use of nanomaterials in food and cosmetics The documents are available for public comment for 90 days.
The agency said in a Consumer Update that this is the continuation of a “dialogue” that started in June 2011, when they issued a draft of the first guideline on the subject, one that helps industry decide whether an FDA-regulated product involves the use of nanotechnology, by considering for instance the size and properties of the materials.
The first of these latest two guidelines, “Guidance for Industry: Safety of Nanomaterials in Cosmetic Products” deals with what manufacturers should consider to ensure the safety of cosmetics made using nanomaterials.
The second guideline, “Guidance for Industry: Assessing the Effects of Significant Manufacturing Process Changes”, is for the food industry.
Dr Dennis Keefe, director of the FDA’s Office of Food Additive Safety, said the guidance covers “any manufacturing process change that might affect a food substance’s identity, intended uses, or the way it behaves in the body after it is eaten”.