Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare publishes lists of polymers, additives, and monomers permitted for use in food contact; enforcement of updated list and use requirements set for June 1, 2025; Japanese industry organization publishes discussion paper on chemicals management for products in the circular economy
Unwanted chemicals in canned tuna
Danish consumer council finds BADGE in metal packaging of tuna as well as plasticizers in the metal closure of a tuna glass jar; none of the tested packaging products contained BPA, BPF, or BPS; all tuna fish contained heavy metals, some contained BADGE and one ATBC
FDA guidance on forming GRAS panels
U.S. Food and Drug Administration issues draft guidance for industry with recommendations for choosing experts to make GRAS determinations; comments can be submitted until January 16, 2018 and May 15, 2018
U.S. FDA launches webpage on micro- and nanoplastics in food
Provides general information on micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs); claims there is no evidence showing health risks; comments on lack of standardized methods for detecting, quantifying, and characterizing MNPs
Fresenius Conference on EDCs
Fresenius Academy holds 7th International Conference on EDCs; UK regulatory representative and pesticide industry call for inclusion of ‘potency perspective’ in EDC identification criteria; most other country representatives and NGOs in favor of hazard-based identification
FDA to deauthorize 26 phthalates
U.S. Food and Drug Administration opens public comment period on revoking approvals for using 26 ortho-phthalates in food contact applications due to abandonment of use by industry; public comments accepted until January 14, 2019
EFSA evaluates 2 PET recycling processes
EFSA’s CEF Panel considers FCMs made from post-consumer PET recycling processes ‘Sumilon Eco PET SARL’ and ‘ITD’ safe for contact with all types of foodstuffs
VZBV finds consumers are confused about food contact materials
Market research from German consumer organization Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband (VZBV) finds consumers are concerned about food packaging safety but have little understanding of chemicals in packaging; consumers assume all food contact materials and their components have been tested for safety
PFAS found in popcorn bags in US, Indonesia
US based and Indonesia based NGOs publish report on PFAS in popcorn bags; all 29 samples tested contained at least one PFAS
Nestlé research institute in China
Nestlé opens research institute in China, aims to increase Chinese competence and insights into food safety