U.S. National Academy of Sciences’ report outlines research strategy to assess the need for chemical risk assessments to consider interactions between chemicals and microbiota when estimating human health effects
High PFAS blood levels in German children
Biomonitoring study by German Environment Agency (UBA) measures 12 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in blood plasma of children and adolescents; finds highest average levels of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS)
Hormonal activity of food contact materials: New research findings from Austria
Polystyrene sample found to be estrogenic and antiandrogenic in two different in vitro assays, other food contact materials’ overall migrate tested positive for estrogenicity in some cases, no final verdict on hormonal active chemicals’ identities
Legal options for EDC criteria
Several options exist for EU Commission’s next actions on EDC criteria for pesticides; legal experts see responding to EP’s objection concerning exemption for pesticides with intended endocrine mode of action as the quickest way forward
Webinar on toxicity of paper and board FCMs
Collaborative on Health and the Environment holds webinar on in vitro testing of paper and board food contact materials, January 18, 2018; registration now open
FCM chemicals within EU assessment programs
Wide range of hazardous chemicals being evaluated across EU programs for industrial chemicals are also potentially used in food contact materials (FCM); analysis by the Food Packaging Forum reviews recently added chemicals, urges prioritizing known hazardous chemicals in FCMs
Sweden has wide support in the court case on EDC criteria
Sweden took EC to court due to failure to adopt EDC criteria by the end of 2013, case now gained support of European Parliament and Council along with Member States
Food additives and child health
Learn more about the American Academy of Pediatrics’ report and policy statement on food additives and child health effects with guest speaker from NYU School of Medicine
EDCs, semen quality, and testicular cancer
Editorial in The BMJ discusses parallel trends in semen quality and testicular cancer rates, suggests that EDC exposures could be a risk factor, calls for detailed research on EDCs and male reproductive trends