European Food Safety Authority publishes guidance on communicating uncertainty to complement previously published guidance on uncertainty analysis in scientific assessments
Prioritization of NIAS for risk assessment
Scientists propose strategy to prioritize non-intentionally added substances detected by non-targeted screening in paperboard FCMs for risk assessment based on exposure estimates and in silico predictions of toxicity
US FDA adds 15 substances to food contact inventory
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) adds 15 new entries to its Inventory of Effective Food Contact Substance Notifications (FCNs) since October 2021; FDA proposes update to procedure to determine when FCNs are no longer effective; update open for comment until April 11, 2022
US FDA updates to food contact inventory since April
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) adds 18 new entries to its Inventory of Effective Food Contact Substance Notifications (FCNs) since April 2022
ECHA committees reach consensus on PFHxS but not on resorcinol
Committee agrees to support Norway’s restriction proposal on manufacture and placing on the market of perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts, and related substances; cannot reach consensus to identify resorcinol as substance of very high concern (SVHC), agree that it is endocrine disrupting under World Health Organization (WHO) definition
BPI guidelines for compostable FCMs
Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) publishes set of guidelines for labeling and identifying compostable food contact materials (FCMs); aims to reduce contamination of composting waste streams; focuses on improved labelling and communication of compostable products
3RI publishes guidelines for corporate plastic stewardship
Reduce, Recover, Recycle (3R) Initiative and partners’ Guidelines for Corporate Plastic Stewardship aims to guide companies’ transition toward circular plastics supply chain; outlines pathways to three commitments of increasing ambition: net zero plastic leakage, 100% recycled at end-of-life, and net circular plastic; includes example case study
Free tool helps companies design circular packaging strategy
The Recycling Partnership and SYSTEMIQ launch Plastic IQ, a free tool to help US companies make their plastic packaging strategy more sustainable; tool assesses current packaging impacts from consumption through end-of-life, builds customizable action plans, and compares “circularity of packaging strategy against industry best practices”
2023 FPF Workshop: Assessing and implementing safe and sustainable FCMs
In the afternoon of the Food Packaging Forum’s 11th annual workshop, speakers shared businesses experiences on the path towards more safe and sustainable food packaging; five talks and one panel discussion present opportunities, challenges, and case studies; representatives from several large international businesses shared approaches their organizations use to respond to safety and sustainability challenges; reusable packaging founders discuss the unique issues of changing the food packaging field
China seeks comments on 11 food contact chemicals
China’s National Center for Food Safety and Risk Assessment seeks comments on expanded uses of 4 food contact chemicals (FCCs) and 7 new FCCs; two substances are listed in the Food Packaging Forum’s food contact chemicals database as substances of potential concern; comments accepted until September 10, 2021