Indonesia’s draft food contact regulation reorganizes material groups; includes positive and negative substance lists, specific and overall migration limits; testing guidance based on food type, contact time, and temperature; public consultation closed in December 2023, final version expected in 2024
Australia publishes guidance on chemicals in food contact articles
Defines registration process for chemicals in food contact articles under new national regulatory scheme; requires additional testing of specific target organ toxicity and record-keeping of migration levels
India: Stronger recycled plastic rules after push back, new EPR program
India implements extended producer responsibility (EPR) program for plastic packaging, effective immediately; recycling targets for plastic producers, importers, and brand-owners start at 25% and progressively get stricter; Indian standards authority strengthens regulations for recycled plastic in food contact after receiving pushback
Chinese government and industry work on FCM regulation
China amending the national food contact material (FCM) regulation for the first time since 2016; amendments would expand use of previously approved food contact chemicals (FCCs) and food additives; redefines FCM to clarify that packaging material must contact the food item; industry association issues draft guidance; regulatory agencies approve or in process of approving multiple new FCCs
More information, transparency needed to phase-out PFAS
Study by Global PFAS Science Panel finds lack of information, transparency, and stakeholder coordination hindering phase-out of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); Green Science Policy Institute publishes repository linking to 75 databases on PFAS
FPF comments on proposed amendments to EU regulations on food contact plastics
Food Packaging Forum (FPF) critiques the European Commission’s proposed amendments to regulations on food contact plastics; says suggested threshold for non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) lacks scientific evidence; supports enhanced specifications for migration testing
Two articles review oligomers and other chemicals migrating from bio-based products
Research study compares different techniques for oligomer detection and finds polyester oligomers migrate from biopolymers; book chapter discusses catalysts, volatile organic compounds, and additives in bio-based products, including their migration and safety
What’s new in bioplastics?
12th annual European Bioplastics conference discusses food brand owners’ use of bioplastics, biodegradable solutions for multilayer food packaging, and production of new polymer PEF
Childhood obesity and other chronic diseases
Obesity, asthma, autism, ADHD among U.S. children have continuously increased over past decade, new studies find; Mother Jones article discusses nutrition, chemicals and physical activity as key factors in childhood obesity
Review on metals and autism
Scientists review evidence on links between autism spectrum disorder and toxic metal(loids) such as lead, mercury, aluminum, arsenic, postulate mechanism based on neuroinflammation, oxidative stress