News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
October 24, 2024
Article connects the dots between two global challenges: plastics and ultra-processed foods (UPFs); authors highlight how plastics have enabled the mass production of low-cost UPFs, leading to widespread health and environmental harms; emphasize that thousands of chemicals from plastic packaging migrate into food, many of which are hazardous and inadequately tested; urge joint efforts to tackle both issues, suggesting that addressing plastics and UPFs together could lead to more effective solutions
Reading time: 2 minutes
October 24, 2024
Scientists compile database on chemical features associated with plastic food packaging; comprises 2101 features compiled from scientific literature and own non-targeted analysis; of the 2101, 30% were found to migrate from 106 food packaging samples and approximately 78% detected in human serum samples
Reading time: 3 minutes
October 23, 2024
Commentary encourages scientists to integrate gender into their research on chemical pollution; study develops metric to interpret population biomonitoring data and assess potential health risks from multiple chemical exposure; can be used to compare population groups, including vulnerable ones
Topics: biomonitoring
Reading time: 3 minutes
October 22, 2024
Australian Government proposes packaging regulation reform; options are, (i) strengthening existing frameworks, (ii) imposing mandatory national standards, or (iii) implementing an extended producer responsibility scheme; aims to ban problematic chemicals and materials; public feedback until October 28, 2024; Australian state of New South Wales also consulting on a plastics plan until November 4, 2024
Reading time: 5 minutes
October 21, 2024
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announces significant changes to its Human Foods Program, aiming to streamline its operations and modernize field activities; changes reflect a renewed focus on transparency, efficiency, and consumer safety in food regulation
Reading time: 2 minutes
October 18, 2024
European Council adopts updated CLP regulation; introduces new hazard classes for endocrine disruptors, PBT, and vPvB substance; aims to enhance chemical safety by sharing hazard classifications across regulations; includes new provisions for digital labeling and refill station requirements
Reading time: 1 minute
October 17, 2024
Five studies on microplastic presence and effects on central nervous system (CNS) and reproductive organs; study finds microplastics of some but not all polymer types enter human CNS, especially after blood-brain barrier impairment; review concludes microplastics induce neurotoxicity; scientists demonstrate presence of microplastics in female reproductive tissue and male para-tumor and tumor prostate samples; associate microplastic presence with sperm dysfunction
Reading time: 5 minutes
October 16, 2024
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hosts public meeting to discuss ways to improve post-market assessment process for chemicals in food; stakeholders, including researchers, advocates, and industry representatives, shared perspectives on transparency, safety, and the need for systematic evaluation; consultation open until December 6, 2024
Reading time: 2 minutes
October 15, 2024
Research demonstrates widescale environmental microplastic contamination and human exposure, effects on all levels of biological organizations, and emerging evidence of negative human health impacts; review’s authors foresee data gaps to be closed within next ten years but call for immediate policy action based on precautionary principle to minimize unintended consequences
Reading time: 3 minutes
October 10, 2024
Analysis of black plastic household products in the US finds flame retardants in 85% of bromine-positive samples; including food contact kitchen utensils and toys; authors link e-waste as a source; call for ban of harmful chemical additives through the Plastics Treaty
Reading time: 3 minutes
