On June 5-7, 2018, the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) Scientific Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF) held its 75th plenary meeting in Parma, Italy. The meeting minutes were agreed on June 22, 2018 and are now available online.
The CEF Panel discussed, among other topics, the draft opinions on the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling processes ‘Linpac,’ ‘Gneuss 1,’ and ‘Gneuss 2’ for food contact uses (FPF reported). Further, the CEF Panel discussed the draft opinion on the substance poly((R)-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-(R)-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (CAS 147398-31-0) for use in food contact materials (FCMs) (FPF reported). The CEF Panel unanimously adopted these opinions, “subject to incorporation of changes as suggested during the meeting.”
Since the last plenary meeting (FPF reported), the CEF Panel received two new mandates for the safety assessment of FCMs: Phosphorous acid, triphenyl ester, polymer with alpha-hydro-omega-hydroxypoly[oxy(methyl-1,2-ethanediyl)], C10-16 alkyl esters for use as monomer (or additive) in plastics, and PET recycling process ‘Bandera’ for direct food application. One application for the safety assessment of FCMs has been withdrawn since the last CEF Plenary meeting: Antioxidant phosphorous acid, triphenyl ester, polymer with alpha-hydro-omega-hydroxypoly[oxy(methyl-1,2-ethediyl)], C10-16 alkyl esters (Doverphos LGP-11, CAS 1227937-46-3) (FPF reported).
The CEF Panel’s Working Group (WG) on Phthalates informed the Panel members about the updated mandate from the European Commission to include phthalates diisononyl phthalate (DINP, CAS 28553-12-0) and diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP, CAS 26761-40-0) in the safety reassessment of phthalates in food contact plastics (FPF reported). Further, the CEP Panel was informed about “the establishment of a new WG on [b]isphenol A [(BPA, CAS 80-05-7)] to reassess the TDI [(tolerable daily intake values)] for BPA which was set on a temporary basis in 2015 by EFSA.”
Read more
CEF (June 28, 2018). “Scientific Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF) – Minutes of the 75th plenary meeting.” (pdf)
