On June 25, 2014 the television channel NDTV reports in a web-published article on the health effects of nanoparticles in packaged food (Reed et al 2014). The lead author of the new study, Robert Reed, explains in the article that exposure to nanomaterials in the gastrointestinal tract may lead to poor digestion or diarrhea. The study was first published in the scientific journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. In their study the researchers tested the effects of 8 beverages containing nano-size metals or metal-like particles on the human intestinal cells. They found the beverages to change cellular organization by for example reducing the number of food digestion-specific cell parts of the cell. Further, the researchers analyzed sewage waste and concluded that the nanoparticles are likely making their way into surface water where they may cause damage to aquatic life and the environment.

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NDTV Cooks (June 25, 2014). “Nanoparticles in packaged foods can be harmful

Reference

Reed, R. et al. (2014). “Characterization of nanomaterials in metal colloid-containing dietary supplement drinks and assessment of their potential interactions after ingestion.” ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (published online on June 2, 2014).

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