Scoping review assesses state-of-the-art of paper and cardboard food packaging safety assessment; maps sample preparation approaches, challenges, and factors influencing chemical migration; provides guidance to develop and evaluate standardized sample preparation methods
Using ToxCast data to assess food chemicals
Scientists explore the utility of-throughput screening data for hazard assessment and toxicological read-across of food-relevant chemicals; observe some biological targets to lack validated toxicity associations; demonstrate application in identifying out-of-domain compounds
ECHA urged to share ‘strategic information’
ClientEarth report criticizes ECHA’s lack of transparency, requests more information on harmful chemicals in the EU, companies’ compliance, EU’s decision-making processes with regard to chemical safety
PFAS testing prompts packaging changes from US retailers, restaurants
Consumer Reports tests 118 food packaging products from 24 US fast food and grocery chains; finds PFAS in over half of the products; nearly one third of packaging products contain over 20 ppm and 22 over 100 ppm organic fluorine; several brands commit or re-commit to removing intentionally added PFAS from their packaging
Protein-based food packaging reviewed
Scientists review the use of proteins in production of food packaging, discuss main protein sources, manufacturing methods, improvement strategies and future prospects
FPF publishes food contact chemicals database
Researchers led by the Food Packaging Forum (FPF) publish new database identifying over 12,200 distinct chemicals that could be used in manufacture of food contact materials and articles; 29% lacking openly accessible toxicity data; 608 identified as most hazardous, prioritized for substitution; published study and database freely accessible
China seeks comments on 11 food contact chemicals
China’s National Center for Food Safety and Risk Assessment seeks comments on expanded uses of 4 food contact chemicals (FCCs) and 7 new FCCs; two substances are listed in the Food Packaging Forum’s food contact chemicals database as substances of potential concern; comments accepted until September 10, 2021
Coop Denmark to remove many chemicals of concern
Retailer Coop Denmark phases out 12 substances or groups of chemicals of concern from its own-brand products by the end of 2017
A new roadmap to transform the European chemical industry
European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) and European Commission publish roadmap to incorporate EU goals for the green and digital transformation into the chemicals sector by 2050; defines nearly 200 actions for the chemical industry with technological investments, and regulatory steps necessary; implementation expected to begin spring 2023
Synergistic interaction in real-life mixtures might not be so rare, scientist finds
“How frequent is rare?” researcher asks, emphasizes that based on current knowledge it is “premature” to neglect chemical synergism in real-life mixtures due to being “rare” and limit focus to additive behavior of chemicals; calls for further research and considering synergism in debates on mixtures risk assessment