News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
June 14, 2022
European Commission (EC) publishes working document on review of whether the EU Food Contact Material Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004 is fit for purpose; finds regulation is “partly effective” but “overall, the efficiency… appears to be sub-optimal”; presents concerns including lack of specifics for materials other than plastics, non-intentionally added substances, supply chain transparency, oversight, and structure of risk assessments
Reading time: 4 minutes
June 14, 2022
Food Packaging Forum (FPF) celebrates ten years of independent research on food packaging, chemicals, and health to help guide evidence-based dialogue across all levels of the food and packaging supply chain; FPF remains committed to reviewing and communicating complex scientific information with the aim of safeguarding human health and the environment into its next decade
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 13, 2022
Microplastic experts publish Toxicity of Microplastics Explorer (ToMEx), a living database to quickly upload, assess, analyze, and visualize, microplastic toxicity data; aims to inform microplastic research and regulatory decisions on plastic pollution
Topics: microplastics, toxicity
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 10, 2022
Scientists evaluate global performance of new model to predict a chemical’s concentration in food in contact with food packaging; integrated model includes uncertainty analysis and can be used for regulatory purposes
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 9, 2022
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agrees to review the safety of bisphenol A (BPA) for use in food packaging; agency is responding to a petition filed by US civil society organizations after the European Food Safety Authority lowered official tolerable daily intake level of BPA by 100,000-fold
Reading time: 1 minute
June 7, 2022
Researchers led by the Food Packaging Forum (FPF) publish paper identifying 388 chemicals intentionally used in food contact materials (FCMs) that are harmful according to the EU’s Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability; 127 of these chemicals of concern have been measured to be present in FCMs including 30 monomers and 122 carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to reproduction (CMR) chemicals
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 2, 2022
Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) officially publishes standards for plastic utensils and microwaveable containers that come into contact with food; standards set migration limits for plastic food contact materials and defines how compliant packaging must be tested and marked; new standards effective January 3, 2023; improperly marked food contact articles will not be allowed on the market after the effective date
Reading time: 1 minute
June 1, 2022
Taiwan Food and Drug Administration publishes application and certification process for processing recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) for food contact; review process similar to those in the US and EU; manufacturers must demonstrate recycled pellets comply with either US or EU safety regulations
Reading time: 1 minute
June 1, 2022
European Commission sets recommended limits on mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbon (MOAH) contamination in food, effective immediately; Limits not currently binding, up to Member States to enforce; action follows December 2021 civil society investigation into levels of MOAH in foods on the European market
Topics: European Commission, MOAH
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 1, 2022
Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC) begins operations; Horizon Europe project aims to “move towards a new generation of chemical risk assessment” through improved forecasting of emerging risks and accounting for combined risks; builds on the work of the European Joint Program on human biomonitoring (HBM4EU)
Reading time: 0 minutes
