C&EN presents the debate on the costs of food packaging made of flexible plastics and multilayered structures: Less food waste and economic benefits vs. more difficult recycling and negative environmental impacts
Packaging sustainability during the pandemic
Consultancy McKinsey & Company publishes paper on consumers’ views towards sustainability in packaging, as influenced by COVID 19 pandemic; urges more focus on proactive communication with consumers and supply chain partners, holistic approach to sustainability and hygiene requirements
Risk assessment of chemical mixtures
Scientists from EC Joint Research Centre review legislation and approaches currently used for risk assessment of chemical mixtures; evaluate case studies, discuss challenges and novel tools
Methods to predict biological effects of nanomaterials
Review on assessment of nanomaterials; discussion about advances and unresolved questions
Study shows endocrine activity of BPA analogs
Bisphenol A alternatives detected in thermal paper in Switzerland, bisphenol F and bisphenol S shown to exhibit endocrine activity using in vitro and in silico tools, no significant endocrine activity found for the alternatives Pergafast® 201 and D-8
Individual-level data published for BPA oral absorption study
New study provides urine and serum profiles of BPA in 10 volunteers who participated in Teeguarden et al. (2015) study
Workshop proceedings on animal testing alternatives
Journal publication presents summary of presentations and key messages from 2017 workshop focused on animal testing alternatives and strategies for food safety assessments
Proceedings of ILSI NA workshop on FCMs
Summary of workshop on ‘Scientific advances and challenges in safety evaluation of food packaging materials’ now published
Study shows oral BPA intake to be of no risk for high exposures
Soup consumption did not lead to higher levels of the active form of BPA in blood of human volunteers, BPA eliminated in urine within 24 hours
‘Cocktails’ of endocrine disruptors
New study finds molecular mechanism likely to contribute to toxic ‘cocktail effect’ of EDC mixtures