World Economic Forum (WEF) webinar features presentations investigating environmental challenges created by COVID-19 pandemic; discusses effects on the shift away from single-use plastics and on ability to recycle, reviews strategies for moving forward
PFAS alternatives for paper food packaging
Article in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety discusses alternatives for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in paper food packaging; considers lamination with waxes and polymer films, alternative surface sizing and coatings; views finding cost-effective, fully biodegradable, and environmentally friendly alternatives challenging
FDA updating FCM risk assessment
ILSI North America holds first public food packaging conference; several FDA speakers shared updates from ongoing work in pre- and post-market FCM risk assessment
FDA asked to ban PFCs from FCMs
NGOs petition FDA to remove perfluorinated compounds from food contact materials
Migration from bamboo-containing plastic FCMs
Scientists detect dozens of volatile and non-volatile substances migrating from ‘bamboo’ food packaging; melamine migration exceeding specific migration limit; conclude bamboo-melamine articles ‘a risk to consumer’s health,’ their promotion as biodegradable ‘a fraud to consumers’
Paper straws not safer than plastic straws, scientists find
Study analyzes non-volatile compounds migrating from nine different printed and non-printed paper straws into soda; identifies 19 chemicals in concentrations up to 3.6 mg/kg soda; chemicals include suspected carcinogen and endocrine disruptors; findings suggest paper straws are not a safer alternative to plastic straws
Safety of dishes made of wheat pulp or wood
Scientists analyze volatile compounds migrating from single-use dishes made of wheat pulp or wood; products considered safe for food contact use with respect to volatiles’ migration; migration of non-volatile substances and safety of high-temperature applications requires further study
Media coverage
The Food Packaging Forum in the media: a selection of articles
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
RIVM: Annual report 2016 online
Dutch institute for public health and environment (RIVM) publishes annual report 2016