News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
November 5, 2026
European Commission adds four substances to positive list of Regulation (EU) 10/2011 on plastic food contact materials (FCMs); includes 1) chopped carbon fibers for use in polyether ether ketone, 2) uncoated nano precipitated calcium carbonate, 3) poly(2-hydroxypropanoic acid), n-octyl/n-decyl esters for use in polylactic acid, and 4) mixture of 1,9-nonanediamine and 2-methyl-1,8-octanediamine to produce polyamide; some substances prohibited from use in FCMs holding infant formula and human milk
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 2, 2026
National regulations introduce mandatory recycled PET content for single-use packaging, requirements for food-grade recycled materials and extended producer responsibility; prohibit use of persistent organic pollutants in plastics production; establish additional rules for food packaging and single-use products
Reading time: 3 minutes
October 28, 2026
Study assesses exposure to 920 chemicals increasing breast cancer risk; finds exposure via air, food, drinking water, pharmaceuticals; identifies US exposure > 0.1 mg/kg body weight for 85 breast carcinogens; prioritizes 39 chemicals for reduction and further research
Reading time: 3 minutes
October 28, 2026
The addition to the Candidate Chemicals List enables future regulation of products containing or generating microplastics; no immediate restrictions imposed
Topics: California, microplastics
Reading time: 2 minutes
October 27, 2026
Scientists assess 347 preprepared dishes for 28 organophosphate esters (OPEs); detect 23 OPEs in more than 60% of samples and one OPE in almost all samples, find that animal-based foods contain higher levels than plant-based foods and fresh foods have 2.6-fold lower levels than preprepared dishes; identify food contact materials as a source of OPEs
Topics: chemical analysis, migration
Reading time: 3 minutes
October 26, 2026
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) publishes guidance for assessing safety of bisphenols and their derivatives used as replacements of bisphenol A (BPA) in food contact materials; extends these requirements to non-classified bisphenols and derivatives to help prevent regrettable substitution; specifies data requirements for different migration levels, including toxicokinetic properties and data on immunotoxicity, developmental, reproductive, and metabolic toxicity
Topics: bisphenols, BPA, EFSA, food safety, immunotoxicity, metabolic disruptor, reproductive health
Reading time: 3 minutes
October 21, 2026
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) identifies 23 substances of very high concern (SVHCs) authorized for use in plastic food contact materials; further evaluates seven of these; new evidence on male reproductive toxicity suggests melamine may need reassessment
Reading time: 3 minutes
October 15, 2026
Food Packaging Forum (FPF) submits comments on Codex Alimentarius discussion paper proposing international guidelines on the safe use of recycled plastic food contact materials (FCMs); welcomes efforts to address food safety but raises concerns that scientific rationale for plastic-specific guidance remains insufficient; current approaches cannot adequately demonstrate chemical safety of plastic FCMs; concept of food safety requires concrete definition
Reading time: 2 minutes
October 14, 2026
UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) technical brief examines plastic pollution across agrifood systems using a One Health approach; food packaging accounts for an estimated 37.3 million tonnes of plastic use annually; highlights human exposure to plastic chemicals and particles through food and other pathways; calls for prevention and coordinated action across the plastics lifecycle
Reading time: 2 minutes
October 12, 2026
Amendments made to California’s Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act; requires manufacturers to provide third-party certification when reporting on post-consumer recycled (PCR) content used in plastic beverage containers from March 1, 2028; increases financial penalty for non-compliance from $0.20 to $0.30 per pound of virgin plastic used in place of mandated amounts of PCR
Reading time: 2 minutes
