Reagan-Udall Foundation publishes independent evaluation of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) human foods program; provides 32 recommendations concerning agency culture, structure, resources, and authorities
Plastic packaging: A risk to food companies?
New report of NGO ClientEarth explores risks of single-use plastic packaging; warns investors that food companies and supermarkets neglecting plastic pollution-related risk to face reputational damage and legal action
US EPA extends comment period on PFAS reporting requirements
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) extends comment period for proposed reporting and recordkeeping requirements for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); would require manufacturers that produced PFAS at anytime since 2011 to make a one-time report with information about uses, production volumes, disposal, exposures, and hazards; comments accepted until September 27, 2021
Consumers perceive compostable packaging as most sustainable, report says
McKinsey report investigates consumers’ attitudes toward sustainability in food packaging; finds hygiene & food safety, as well as shelf life are most important aspects to consumers; consumers think compostable and plant-based packaging is the most sustainable, metal containers among least sustainable
Antimony migration from PET
New study investigates extent of antimony migration from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) using EU migration testing rules
Discussion on polymer registration under REACH goes into 4th round
EU Competent Authorities for REACH and CLP (CARACAL) subgroup members debate on the identification of polymers requiring registration and their grouping; consider different opinions of stakeholders on group size, acceptable hazard variation within a group and options to deal with the variety of molecular weights one polymer can have; discussions to continue until end of 2021
2-aminobenzamide migration from PET
Scientists analyze and model migration of acetaldehyde scavenger 2-aminobenzamide from PET bottles; suggest alternative accelerated test conditions
Canada lists food contact substances as toxic
Canadian government adds 3 substances relevant for food contact materials to country’s list of toxic substances
Opportunities and limitations of bioplastics
11th European Bioplastics conference in Berlin, Germany discusses the role of bioplastics in the circular economy, presents new food packaging applications
FDA updating FCM risk assessment
ILSI North America holds first public food packaging conference; several FDA speakers shared updates from ongoing work in pre- and post-market FCM risk assessment