Regulating food nanotechnologies: Ethical and political challenges

Whilst recognizing the need to tackle food nanotechnology risks, the EU has so far laid down scant regulatory provisions, allowing new nano products to enter the food market freely, thus depriving consumers of their right to be informed and hence to choose. After a brief presentation of the potential risks of food nanotechnologies, the paper explores the connections between neoliberalism, food nanotechnology innovation and the regulatory process, unveiling the power struggles and the ethical stances that lie beyond the EU regulatory choices. The main conclusion is that, in order for the benefits of new technologies to outweigh the costs, it is necessary to acknowledge the political issues which are at stake and allow the regulatory process to be dictated by deontological rather than utilitarian ethical principles. Moreover, direct forms of regulation should be put in place, such as pre-market authorization, mandatory labelling and the establishment of a public register of products and producers.