Soft Regulation Follows Hard Risk Management — European Food Sector on Nanotechnologies

This paper focuses on the possibilities, contents and modes of risk regulation methods within the European Food and Feed Sector, and evaluates standardised approaches to deal with the unique risks of nanotechnologies. Thereby a general view on the risk management approach following ISO 31000:2009 with special emphasis on the limitations of regulations on nanotechnologies in the European Union is given. The paper considers all possible risk management practices with the choice of evasion of a threat, tolerating it in exchange for an opportunity, eliminating its source; otherwise, modification its likelihood or consequences. Supplementary, risks can be controlled by sharing (involving other parties), and finally, also be retained by an informed decision.