News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
October 30, 2020
Position supports recasting EU Drinking Water Directive to consider safety of materials that come into contact with drinking water; will specify minimum hygiene requirements, create positive lists of material starting substances, compositions, and chemical constituents
Topics: water pipes
Reading time: 2 minutes
October 30, 2020
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) extends information submission deadline on two amines approved as additives in plastic food contact materials (FCMs); information on FCM No. 19 and 20 due by December 31, 2020
Topics: EFSA
Reading time: 1 minute
October 29, 2020
8th annual Food Packaging Forum workshop focuses on linking policy-making with scientific research to improve the safety of food contact materials; video recordings, presentation slides, and summary articles now available online
Topics: bioplastics, cadmium, cancer, EFSA, exposure, glass, hazard assessment, lead, life cycle assessment, regulation
Reading time: 2 minutes
October 29, 2020
Six speakers share their views on how to improve food contact material (FCM) safety; different approaches might complement one another; linking scientific research, policy making and industry initiatives could be the key to safe FCMs
Reading time: 6 minutes
October 29, 2020
Laura Vandenberg gives overview of CLARITY-BPA project; compares results of guideline and academic studies; concludes that lowest BPA dose had effects across organs
Topics: bisphenol A
Reading time: 2 minutes
October 29, 2020
Kevin Elliott discusses how values can influence scientific judgements or be themselves affected by them; transparency plays an important role in responding to challenges caused by value-laden judgements; contents and venues chosen for transparent communication need to be adjusted according to each stakeholder’s needs
Topics: transparency, uncertainty
Reading time: 5 minutes
October 29, 2020
Kate Guyton reviews the work of International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), underlines the essential role played by independent scientific experts, describes processes used for evidence synthesis and carcinogen classification; key characteristics of carcinogens constitute an important approach to cancer hazard identification
Topics: cancer, hazard assessment
Reading time: 3 minutes
October 29, 2020
Stefan Merkel presents recent work of German Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR); Lisa Zimmermann discusses bioassay-based toxicity assessment of conventional plastics, bioplastics, and plant-based materials; Andrew Turner emphasizes presence of toxic brominated flame retardants in recycled plastics, uses of hazardous heavy metals in colored decorations applied to glass articles
Reading time: 6 minutes
October 29, 2020
Martin Scheringer reviews the Food Packaging Forum’s work in 2020; discusses scientific consensus statement on food contact chemicals (FCCs) and health, ongoing projects aiming to understand contribution of FCC exposure to chronic diseases of public health concern
Reading time: 2 minutes
October 28, 2020
European Commission (EC) publishes set of staff working documents detailing outcomes of the fitness check on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs); recommends simplifications, moving towards single assessment approach, applying data generated within other legislation to food contact materials, considering mixtures
Topics: endocrine disruptor, European Commission
Reading time: 2 minutes
