EU project survey finds half of companies do not have ready information to respond to consumer requests about substances of very high concern (SVHCs); Swedish Chemicals Agency develops app to improve SVHC communication; Danish report finds current legislation has reduced SVHC use in Nordic countries
Microplastics in humans: current knowledge and potential implications
Review summarizes microplastics abundance and characteristics in human biological samples including current research approaches employed, challenges, and prospects; study indicates microplastics impact human meconium and placenta microbiota; review outlines current evidence on microplastic effects upon exposure during early developmental stage
Styrene concentrations in German and Italian refrigerated dairy products
Scientists assess styrene levels in polystyrene food packaging, migration into refrigerated dairy products, in 50% ethanol, as well as factors influencing migration; report styrene migration of 5 to 30 µg/kg food at the best before date; find food contact area, temperature and time rather than fat content influence styrene migration
FPF webinar on can coatings
Registration now open for Food Packaging Forum webinar on can coatings, February 7, 2017
FPF webinar on reprotoxic food contact chemicals
Register now for the Food Packaging Forum’s webinar on food contact chemical surfynol and its reprotoxic properties that will be held on March 27, 2018
EC proposes revisions to packaging and waste legislation
European Commission (EC) publishes proposal to revise the EU legislation on packaging and packaging waste; includes mandatory targets for waste reduction, re-use, and minimum recycled content in plastic packaging; based on three problems identified by an impact assessment: growing packaging waste generation, barriers to packaging recycling and re-use, and low recycling quality in plastic packaging
FDA denies citizen petition to ban phthalates in food contact materials
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rejects two citizen petitions from 2016 asking it to remove 28 phthalates from food contact use for safety reasons; grants industry petition to remove 23 phthalates due to abandonment; FDA issues request for information on use and safety information of remaining phthalates; comments accepted until July 19, 2022
PFAS are present in Vietnam FCMs, especially mochi paper trays
First study to assess per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food contact materials (FCMs) in Vietnam detects them in 16 out of 18 samples; mostly in low levels but up to 624 ng/g in mochi paper tray; authors call for more focus on Global South since PFAS research focus is mostly on the North
Studies review human exposures and effects of micro- and nanoplastics
Three studies investigate micro- and nanoplastics – source, organ deposition, and reproductive effects; detect up to 240,000 plastic particles/L in bottled water with 90% being nanoplastics; find microplastics in human lung, intestine, and kidney tissues; polyethylene particles found to affect placental function in mice
Contaminants migrate from pipes into drinking water worldwide
Review summarizes the scientific knowledge on five groups of contaminants migrating from drinking water distribution systems into tap water; reports microplastics, bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, nonylphenol (NP), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) detected in tap water and may stem from pipes and reservoirs; finds pipe material type largely influences contaminant migration