Precision Nanomedicine · Published 2025-12-29 · DOI 10.33218/001c.146560
Everyone eats, so it is no surprise that food-related trade laws exist at the national, international, and regional levels worldwide. Nanotechnology has transformed traditional food systems — from crop cultivation and harvesting to storage, transport, marketing, drug delivery via food, and waste prevention— since the early 2000s. These combined changes enable humanity to provide clean, safe, and affordable food for everyone. But first, is it safe? The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) uses strong scientific methods to create a framework for monitoring nano-structures in food from “Field to fork.” Unfortunately, nanoscale titanium dioxide is deemed safe by one law but may be banned as a gametotoxin under another, creating crossroads for international trade of nanomaterials in food. Merging law and science to resolve these conflicting regulations has important implications for global trade, the food industry, and human health. This article offers a broad view of the legal landscape surrounding nanomaterials in food, leaving some questions for further consideration. In conclusion, the time is right to harmonize regulatory approaches.
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