Nanotech in Consumer Products
Not much is known about the health effects of nanotechnology. As the Washington Post notes, "Because of their tiny size, nanomaterials have special properties that make them ideal for a range of commercial and medical uses, but researchers are still trying to determine how they might affect humans and animals."
Consumers get to be the guinea pigs. There are already hundreds of consumer products that contain nanoscale materials. Now, thanks to the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, there's a database to look up products made with nanomaterials.
It's hard to tell whether the dangers of nanotechnology are more overstated than the supposed health benefits. Consider Nanoceuticals Slim Shake, which boasts "The natural benefits of cocoa have now been combined with modern technology to create CocoaClusters. RBC’s NanoClusters are tiny particles, 100,000th the size of a single grain of sand, and they are designed to carry nutrition into your cells.*"
Pay close attention to the asterisk, which leads to this disclaimer: "These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." Translation: We're just making stuff up.
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