News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
November 5, 2021
Researchers measure phthalates or phthalate-replacing plasticizers in 100% of fast food samples from McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Taco Bell, and Chipotle restaurants in the US; seen as first published data of plasticizer DEHT detected in fast food
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 4, 2021
Center for Environmental Health and Clean Production Action launch a certified standard for single-use food service ware; three-tiered certification based on the use of safer chemicals; certified products must be recyclable or compostable and cannot contain any chemical from the certification's restricted list including PFAS, ortho-phthalates, and bisphenols above 1ppm
Reading time: 1 minute
November 3, 2021
Minutes available from recent meetings of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP Panel) working groups on food contact materials (FCMs), bisphenol A (BPA), recycling plastics, phthalates, and extraction solvents
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 2, 2021
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) publishes opinion on the impact of non-monotonic dose responses (NMDRs) on human health risk assessment; if NMDR may be present, suggests further testing at the low end of the dose-response curve; recommends developing internationally agreed guidance and harmonized frameworks for ‘identifying and addressing’ NMDRs during risk assessments
Reading time: 2 minutes
October 29, 2021
Research study finds polystyrene microplastics exposure of pregnant mice leads to fetal losses by immune disturbance; book chapter estimates human chemical exposure via seafood contaminated with microplastics
Topics: microplastics
Reading time: 2 minutes
October 28, 2021
Sets maximum daily intake limit of 3 ng/kg body weight/day for hexafluoropropylene oxide (HFPO) dimer acid and its ammonium salt; final value is much lower than first suggested in earlier 2018 draft assessment, also lower than set reference dose for the hazardous chemical PFOA it was developed to safely replace
Reading time: 2 minutes
October 28, 2021
Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the competent authority for REACH in Germany, and the German Environment Agency launch second stakeholder consultation in preparation for a REACH Restriction Dossier for bisphenol A (BPA) and other similar bisphenols; seeking updated use information including tonnages, emissions, alternatives and transition costs, and limit values; authorities already have enough data to demonstrate hazards
Reading time: 0 minutes
October 27, 2021
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) adds nine new entries to its Inventory of Effective Food Contact Substance Notifications (FCN) since August 2021
Topics: FDA
Reading time: 1 minute
October 26, 2021
Qualitative research study explores utility of digitalization to adopt wider use of reusable packaging; identifies barriers for business adoption; shows how trackability through digitalization promotes a circular economy
Topics: circular economy
Reading time: 2 minutes
October 25, 2021
Two publications from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) provide overview and assessment of global challenges related to marine litter and plastic waste; include set of infographics summarizing key thematic areas; book chapter proposes organizing diverse problem formulations and potential solutions to plastic pollution into a conceptual framework, considers necessary value judgments and world views
Reading time: 2 minutes
