News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
November 22, 2024
Review illustrates links and aggravating dynamics between plastic pollution and other environmental problems; calls for measures addressing plastics as “an integrative part of climate change, biodiversity, and natural-resource-use policy”
Topics: plastics, regulation
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 21, 2024
Scientists study migration of non-volatile chemicals from 16 reusable plastic bottles made of 12 different polymer types; high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and silicones release highest number of chemicals; bottles have unique chemical fingerprint; call for comprehensive assessment for better consumer protection
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 20, 2024
European Commission (EC) implements restriction on PFHxA; includes transitional period of 18 months to 5 years; European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) adds triphenyl phosphate to candidate list of substances of very high concern (SVHC)
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 19, 2024
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) objects two petitions advocating for removing diallyl phthalate and 28 ortho-phthalates from authorization due to insufficient evidence to modify the ruling form 2022
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 18, 2024
Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) adopts two new standards on plastic bags for food contact applications; will come into effect on March 4, 2025
Reading time: 0 minutes
November 15, 2024
European Ombudsman submits formal recommendation to European Commission (EC) on risk management of chemicals; emphasizes EC repeatedly misses deadlines for regulating substances under REACH; finds decision-making process is not sufficiently transparent; conclude it to be maladministration
Reading time: 1 minute
November 14, 2024
VERMEER FCM tool allows modeling migration of organic chemicals from plastic food contact materials (FCMs), predicting selected toxicological endpoints, and comparing with European regulatory information; based on several in silico models; designed to assist risk assessment of FCMs; openly available
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 12, 2024
European Union Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) study reports nanomaterials in consumer products including food contact materials (FCMs) still on the rise; find “systematic” migration of nanoparticles from FCMs; silver studied the most; no general conclusions on toxicity; review identifies further research gaps and calls to advance regulatory framework to mitigate potential risks associated with nanoparticles in FCMs
Topics: nanomaterials, nanoparticles
Reading time: 5 minutes
November 8, 2024
Describes the function and properties of food packaging and the pros and cons of the different food contact materials in fulfilling them; calls for future research to investigate how repeated use affects the packaging’s mechanical performance and thermal stability
Topics: circular economy, reuse
Reading time: 3 minutes
November 7, 2024
On October 28, 2024, the Food Packaging Forum, in collaboration with ETH Zürich, held the first Swiss Symposium on Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs); throughout the day, leading experts shared the history of EDC research, as well as ongoing efforts to understand hazards and exposures associated with EDCs
Topics: Endocrine Disruptors
Reading time: 5 minutes
