Peer-reviewed article summarizes occurrence, source, and characterization of microplastics in food and beverages; reports highly variable concentrations within and between food categories; identifies water bodies, packaging, and food handling as source of microplastic contamination
Web-based intervention reduces EDC exposure levels
Scientists design a web-based behavioral intervention to reduce endocrine disruptor exposure in mothers with young children; involves educational videos and games to affect diet, product use, and other habits; study finds one-month intervention significantly lowers urinary concentration of bisphenol A, triclosan, parabens, and phthalate metabolites
Japan revises positive list for FCMs
Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare publishes revised version of positive list for food contact materials (FCMs); applies to utensils, containers, and packaging made of synthetic resins; 83 substances added to the list of plastic polymers, 192 to coatings, 29 to monomers, and 121 to additives
Review assesses 20 years of food safety research
Integrative review analyzes recent scientific advances in food and environmental safety; scientometric analysis reveals increasing multidisciplinary interest between 2001 and 2020; finds contaminants and environmentally friendly food packaging as emerging research topics in the field of food safety
Corporate plastic commitments not expected to meet 2025 targets
Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) reports progress, or lack thereof, on corporate packaging commitments set for 2025; plastic pact signatories increased portfolio of recycled, recyclable, or compostable products by 2% between 2019 and 2021; reuse decreased, and virgin plastic use increased; EMF calling for stronger governmental action and support of UN plastic pollution treaty
FPF comments on EFSA’s phthalates prioritization strategy
Food Packaging Forum (FPF) finds that the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) planned approach lacks clear recommendation for removing known hazardous chemicals from food contact materials; prioritization of food contact chemicals of concern should be based on hazard properties in alignment with the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability
Packaging stakeholder guidance on converting to reuse, using safer additives
Sustainable Packaging Coalition publishes guidance for converting to refillable or returnable packaging systems; CHEM Forward releases tool to help identify safer additives to use in plastic packaging
New Zealand symposium on food safety
First session of the New Zealand Food Safety Science & Research Centre annual symposium is a webinar on chemical contaminants in food; presentation on New Zealand-wide project to study impacts of microplastics on human health and natural resources; new project developing guidelines to help food industry navigate the use of food packaging containing recycled material
China approves six food contact substances
National Health Commission announces approval of two additives, three additives with expanded scope, one new food contact resin
EFSA proposes to lower daily tolerable intake of bisphenol A
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) re-evaluation proposes to significantly lower the tolerable daily intake of bisphenol A (BPA) from 4 to 0.00004 micrograms per kilogram of bodyweight per day due to immune system effects; finds many consumers likely exposed beyond the new safe limit; feedback accepted on the draft opinion until February 22, 2022