European Food Safety Authority’s Working Group on Recycling Plastics publishes opinions on four processes for recycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into food contact materials; includes AMB, Poly Recycling, Texplast, Quinn Packaging processes
NGO criticizes industry nomination for EFSA
DG Sanco nominates FoodDrinkEurope candidate for EFSA management board, Corporate Europe Observatory criticizes industry links of 2014 nominees
Oligomers in PEF polyester
Scientists find ‘abundant’ oligomers in polyethylene furanoate, identify 20 circular and linear oligomer species sized <1000 Da; exact quantities of migrating oligomers to be determined in future investigations
EFSA: 2 more recycling processes safe for food contact
EFSA publishes opinions on 2 PET recycling technologies, processes using EREMA Basic and Advanced technologies safe for food contact
EFSA FCM working group: 5th meeting
Minutes of the 5th meeting of EFSA’s CEP Panel working group on food contact materials now available online; continues risk-assessing several new FCMs, presents extensive summary of views on the current framework regulation
EFSA final scientific opinion on PFAS in food
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) publishes final version of its opinion on risk to human health from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food; sets group tolerable weekly intake limit of 4.4 ng/kg body weight for four most commonly measured PFAS in humans
Endocrine effects of parabens
Scientists review evidence on paraben preservatives acting as estrogenic endocrine disruptors; certain effects observed in animals not confirmed in humans; studies on parabens’ effects on immune and nervous system lacking
Sweden addresses ‘cocktail effects’ and grouping of chemicals
Government of Sweden investigates how to consider chemicals’ ‘cocktail effects’ and regulate similar substances in groups within EU chemicals legislation
NGO analyzes EFSA’s scientific independence
Corporate Europe Observatory publishes report on EFSA’s independence, finds new transparency policy dysfuntional
Updated risk assessment highlights the need for stricter regulation on MOH in food
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) updates risk assessment on mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) in food; highest MOH levels found in vegetable oils; notes that data gaps exist, especially in mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) impact on toddlers; “extremely likely” that dietary exposure to MOAH is a concern for toddlers; EFSA recommendations aim to guide EU policy on allowable MOH levels in food