Publications from government, academia, civil society organizations, and consultancies paint problematic picture of a circular plastics economy; plastic packaging waste per person found to increase over last decade; low percentage of plastic produced is effectively recycled; pyrolysis (a type of chemical recycling) of plastics produces 9x more emissions than mechanical recycling; “biodegradable” and “compostable” plastics found to not break down in home compost systems
Micro- and nanoplastics are released from different food contact articles
Researchers report cooking in non-stick Teflon cookware may lead to the release of thousands of micro- and nanoplastics; find 3 to 43 plastic particles prone to be released from Chinese polypropylene takeaway containers; detect around 1,500 microplastics/liter in Iranian bottled water; review points out that micro- and nanoplastic detection methods in food need validation and standardization
Researchers detect chemicals present in and migrating from PET bottles
Two studies analyze polyethylene terephthalate (PET) chemicals; identify several volatile chemicals present in and migrating from new PET bottles as well as from bottles commercially available in Japan; develop online method for quantifying non-intentionally added substances (NIAS)
Researches develop and evaluate methods for food contact chemical determination
Propose method to analyze chemical markers of mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) from printing inks in food packaging; present workflow that includes in silico prediction tools to identify nonvolatile migrates from food packaging; evaluate efficiency and reliability of methodology for non-target identification of volatile substances
Food Contact Regulations USA 2021
U.S. grocer plans packaging chemical restrictions
Ahold Delhaize USA to restrict chemicals of concern from private label products across all stores; targets chemicals including PFAS, BPA, phthalates; plans to increase testing to ensure compliance and partner with suppliers to identify contamination sources
China approves expanded usage for two FCMs
China sets new limits for 2 food contact materials; polyethylene can be added at 0.3% to polyoxymethylene (POM); carboxy styrene-butadiene latex can be added to pressure-sensitive adhesives used in indirect food contact
Oligomer migration from PET and Tritan™
Scientists find cyclic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) oligomers migrate into fatty food simulants but not olive oil; levels higher from recycled compared to virgin PET; comprehensive extraction and migration experiments of Tritan™ products find oligomer migration from bottles of no toxicological concern but microwaveable containers were non-suitable for food heating
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
FPF improves usability of brand and retailer initiatives database
Food Packaging Forum (FPF) updates global database of initiatives and commitments by food brands and retailers concerning food packaging safety and sustainability; database now presented as an interactive dashboard searchable by company name, type of organization, location, keywords, and date; currently contains nearly 600 actions pledged or undertaken by over 320 companies