Standard aims at improving chemical safety of reusable food contact articles and reducing plastic waste; involves rigorous testing and transparency of ingredients used in the packaging
Styrene concentrations in German and Italian refrigerated dairy products
Scientists assess styrene levels in polystyrene food packaging, migration into refrigerated dairy products, in 50% ethanol, as well as factors influencing migration; report styrene migration of 5 to 30 µg/kg food at the best before date; find food contact area, temperature and time rather than fat content influence styrene migration
Oligomers – presence in FCMs and food, toxicity, challenges
Review summarizes analysis and presence of oligomers in food contact materials (FCMs) made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), and polystyrene (PS) including challenges; study suggests ionic strength may influence migration of polyamide (PA) oligomers from PA FCMs
Phthalate exposure and health impacts
Four scientific articles report on phthalate exposure sources and impacts; diet partly explains urinary phthalate levels in adolescents and children surveyed in the US and New Zealand; review of reviews summarizes human health impacts; finds studies on women “generally underrepresented”; study indicates three phthalates affect human oral health
Food packaging leachates impact gut microbiome and metabolites
Scientists explore the impact of long-term oral exposure of mammals to food packaging leachates on gut microbiome diversity, composition, and metabolites; report changes in gut microbiota and metabolites mainly associated with oxidative stress, immunity, and inflammatory responses
Microplastic and pigment particles in water
Scientists detect thousands of small particles of microplastics, pigments, additives in bottled mineral water; higher particle content in reusable paper-labeled bottles; printing inks on labels identified as novel contamination source
Consumer exposure to PFAS in food packaging
Silent Spring Institute publishes report investigating PFAS exposure, finds consuming home-cooked meals reduces exposure compared to restaurant consumption; U.S. state of Washington to focus on paper wraps and liners during alternatives assessment; U.S. presidential candidate pledges to label substance class as hazardous substances
BEUC election manifesto
European Consumer Organization (BEUC) releases EU Parliament elections manifesto, highlights elimination of consumer exposure to harmful chemicals as one of the key priorities for the new legislative period
Majority of plastic food contact articles likely endocrine and metabolism disrupting
Two studies investigating chemicals from retail plastic food contact articles find considerable variability in complexity, with subsequent effects on cell-based tests of hormone disruption; many more chemicals measured from PVC and polyurethane than other polymers though the chemical mixtures from majority of the plastic samples are hormone disrupting; further evidence of PVC and PUR can interfere with GPCR-based cell communication
Unwanted chemicals in drinking bottles
Norwegian Consumer Council finds phthalates, bisphenols, brominated flame retardants, chlorinated paraffins leaching from reusable plastic drinking bottles into water