Food Standards Australia New Zealand will not regulate chemicals in food packaging, instead prepares non-regulatory guidelines with industry
EFSA finds polymeric active substance safe for food contact
EFSA evaluates new active substance as liquid absorber in food packaging
Studies discuss EDC sources, exposure, and human health effects
Scientific studies investigate human endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC) exposures and effects; Canadian study finds bisphenols migrate from baby bottles and sippy cups; reviews report of widespread presence of bisphenols, parabens, and benzophenones in human breast milk and addresses current misunderstandings about the impacts of EDCs on child health
Declaration on nanomaterial regulation
Five European countries issue ‘Berlin Declaration’ calling to address gaps in nanomaterial regulation
Annie’s to eliminate phthalates from processing equipment, packaging
Annie’s Homegrown tells stakeholders it is working to eliminate all ortho-phthalates present in food processing equipment and packaging; announces its product phthalate levels are below European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) limits; identifies phthalates issue as widespread, complex, affecting whole supply chain
EU Parliament interested in FCMs
Seminar held at European Parliament outlines regulation, challenges for FCMs; different stakeholders highlight need for updating existing regulation, requirement for new legislation
Opinion: EDC criteria ‘flawed’
HEAL director discusses why recently adopted EU EDC criteria are insufficient to ease public health burden resulting from exposure to EDCs; calls on European Parliament to reject ‘flawed’ criteria
Freely available dataset for 3D in silico modeling
Freely available 3D database of food additives, first step towards a more efficient in silico screening of chemicals
NGOs sue FDA over final GRAS rule
Environmental Defense Fund and other NGOs file lawsuit challenging U.S. FDA’s Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) practice allowing industry to make self-determinations of food additives’ safety
Opinion: US FDA may be inclined to review food additive rules
The recent cases of industrial contaminants in food containers and water bottles place pressure on the US Food and Drug Administration to revise its rules