News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
October 26, 2020
Consultancy McKinsey & Company publishes paper on consumers’ views towards sustainability in packaging, as influenced by COVID 19 pandemic; urges more focus on proactive communication with consumers and supply chain partners, holistic approach to sustainability and hygiene requirements
Reading time: 2 minutes
October 22, 2020
Live virus particles found on frozen food packaging in China; updated questions and answers series on coronavirus published by the German Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR)
Topics: SARS-CoV-2
Reading time: 1 minute
October 20, 2020
Article published in Nature Food describes release of microplastics from polypropylene baby bottles following cleaning and sterilization steps; releases of up to 16.2 million particles per liter, average infant exposure from feeding in the range of 14,600 to 4.5 million microplastic particles per infant per day
Topics: microplastics
Reading time: 2 minutes
October 20, 2020
National Health Commission (NHC) standards refine existing requirements for composites, printing inks, paper/paperboard, bamboo/wood, and detergents used in food contact; public comments being accepted until November 30, 2020
Reading time: 2 minutes
October 16, 2020
Emerging evidence and systematic analyses highlight adverse effects of bisphenols and phthalates on cardiovascular health; meta-analysis of US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 2003-2016 finds significant association of cardiovascular disease with bisphenol A; prenatal exposure particularly detrimental; calls for more mechanistic research, evaluation of cardiovascular safety profiles for substitution chemicals
Reading time: 7 minutes
October 16, 2020
Mechanical recycling process developed by Styrenics Circular Solutions (SCS) passes set of tests to ensure removal of impurities; will be submitted to European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for review
Topics: polystyrene, recycling
Reading time: 1 minute
October 16, 2020
Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN) article reports on significant investments being made across the plastics supply chain to scale up chemical recycling technologies, growing skepticism from critics not convinced of the technologies’ viability and unwilling to support expanded use of plastics
Topics: chemical recycling
Reading time: 1 minute
October 15, 2020
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) panel publishes assessment of styrene in plastic food contact materials, follows 2018 International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) conclusion labelling it as ‘probably carcinogenic’; calls for systematic review of genotoxicity, toxicokinetics, species differences to determine safety
Topics: styrene
Reading time: 1 minute
October 15, 2020
Ellen MacArthur Foundation, World Wildlife Fund, and Boston Consulting Group advocate United Nations (UN) members to establish global treaty; publish report detailing business case, launch call for industry partners to join effort
Reading time: 1 minute
October 14, 2020
European Commission (EC) publishes Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability; plans to ban PFAS for all non-essential uses, move towards grouping approach for regulation of all chemicals; specific actions for food contact materials (FCM) include extending generic approach to risk management, identifying endocrine disruptors, considering cumulative effects of chemical mixtures
Reading time: 4 minutes
