News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
November 28, 2022
International negotiators prepare for first meeting to negotiate the UN treaty to end plastic pollution; scientists, civil society organizations, and governmental bodies publish reports proposing suggestions for what and how to negotiate; many reports support including controls on chemical additives as part of the treaty
Reading time: 6 minutes
November 25, 2022
Scientists share perspective that all chemicals in plastics need considering in the global plastic treaty also to not hamper technological solutions; recommend key elements to tackle plastic pollution problem holistically including less complexity, as well as more transparency and incentives
Topics: plastics, regulation
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 24, 2022
Study identifies mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP) exposure as high-risk factor for leiomyoma growth on epidemiological and mechanistic level; European biomonitoring of five reprotoxic phthalates demonstrates necessity to integrate mixture risk assessment into regulatory practice; targeted analysis shows migration of five phthalates from polypropylene food packaging
Reading time: 7 minutes
November 23, 2022
Ukraine’s Ministry of Health notifies World Trade Organization of a draft restriction on vinyl chloride in contact with food; restriction aligns with a 1978 European Council declaration on vinyl chloride in food contact materials (FCMs); ministry announces other alignments including on migration of lead and cadmium from ceramic FCMs
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 22, 2022
Bureau of Indian Standards publishes draft update to standard for ionomer resins in contact with foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, and drinking water; accepting comments on the proposal until December 6, 2022
Topics: India
Reading time: 1 minute
November 21, 2022
Zero Waste Europe and Eunomia publish report on the ability of aluminum, concrete, steel, and plastics industries to meet global carbon budgets; current efforts and plans are unlikely to be sufficient to limit warming to 1.5°C; call for urgent actions to reduce material use
Reading time: 3 minutes
November 18, 2022
Researchers analyze oligomer in extracts and migrates of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) food contact articles also comparing levels in food and food simulants; report human exposure to oligomers can exceed daily threshold in some scenarios; express the need for toxicological evaluation of PBT oligomers
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 17, 2022
Study investigate correlation of starting substances to manufacture polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with obesity; report these para-phthalates to alter adipogenesis in vitro at nanomolar concentrations; consider ascertaining their safe levels a high priority
Topics: endocrine disruptor, toxicity testing
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 16, 2022
The Food Packaging Forum updates Database on Migrating and Extractable Food Contact Chemicals (FCCmigex) dashboard; free and interactive tool now includes filter for additional food contact materials like adhesives, coatings, and printing inks; full synchronization between data and reference pages
Topics: FCCmigex
Reading time: 1 minute
November 14, 2022
Material flow analysis on microplastics provides recommendations for reducing microplastics in the Netherlands; effective measures include extension of deposit schemes on returnable plastics, research in improved recycling technologies, and “R-strategies”
Reading time: 2 minutes
