News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
October 1, 2025
Food Packaging Forum reruns comparison of potential breast carcinogens list developed by the Silent Spring Institute with updated database on migrating and extractable food contact chemicals (FCCmigex); finds an additional 41 food contact chemicals that are potential breast carcinogens; 6 additional confirmed carcinogens detected in migration studies
Topics: cancer
Reading time: 3 minutes
September 25, 2025
International group of ecotoxicologists publish comment outlining concerns with the methodology of a paper published by researchers at the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) in May 2025 that found more microplastics in glass bottles than plastic
Reading time: 2 minutes
September 19, 2025
Statement by European reuse sector calls for harmonized reuse symbol for packaging under Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR); includes clear criteria to prevent misuse; European Commission to develop labeling requirements for PPWR by August 2026
Reading time: 2 minutes
September 17, 2025
California lawmakers approve bill to ban PFAS in food packaging by 2028, cookware by 2030; Governor Gavin Newsom expected to sign by October 12
Topics: California, PFAS
Reading time: 2 minutes
September 15, 2025
Study combines in silico, in vitro, and in vivo methods to identify food contact chemicals interfering with retinoid-X-receptor (RXR), potentially leading to adverse biological outcomes by endocrine disruption; predicts 104 RXR-interacting chemicals, dominated by 58 butylphenols; three of six tested tert-butylphenols potentiate thyroid hormone signaling at nanomolar levels; identifies structural features that enhance RXR binding
Topics: antioxidants, toxicity testing
Reading time: 4 minutes
September 12, 2025
Bangladesh Food Safety Authority issues draft food contact material (FCM) regulation; includes mandatory requirements for all FCMs, any standards not specified by Bangladesh should follow standards from Codex Alimentarius Commission, the US, or EU; enforcement likely in 2026
Topics: Bangladesh, regulation
Reading time: 2 minutes
September 11, 2025
MAHA Commission plan outlines over 120 initiatives; items related to food contact include GRAS reform, removing harmful chemicals from the food supply, microplastics; agencies to expand research on environmental exposures and cumulative risk
Reading time: 3 minutes
September 4, 2025
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) updates PFAS restriction proposal following public consultation; does not include major exceptions or derogations regarding food contact materials; aims to complete scientific evaluation of proposal by the end of 2026; to be submitted to the European Commission in 2027
Reading time: 2 minutes
September 1, 2025
Food Packaging Forum (FPF) scientists submit comments to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) public consultation; urge using a hazard-based approach, considering endocrine disruption as toxicity criterion, and adopting GHS classifications to prioritize chemicals for assessment; call to increase transparency during all evaluation stages
Reading time: 3 minutes
August 27, 2025
Legal challenge to the European Chemicals Agency's (ECHA) identification of melamine as a substance of very high concern (SVHC) rejected by General Court of the European Union; Melamine was identified as SVHC in December 2022
Reading time: 1 minute
