In an article published on October 14, 2015 the news provider Chemical Watch reports on the comments submitted by the UK-based non-profit organization CHEM Trust and the Food Packaging Forum (FPF) regarding the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) draft scientific opinion on “recent developments in the risk assessment of chemicals in food and their potential impact on the safety assessment of substances used in food contact materials (FCMs).” EFSA held a public consultation on the draft opinion from July 7 to October 7, 2015 (FPF reported). CHEM Trust and the FPF point out that non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) are not sufficiently discussed in the EFSA draft opinion. NIAS should be assessed the same way other, intentionally used chemicals in FCMs are evaluated (i.e. providing actual toxicological testing data), rather than by using methods such as the Threshold of Toxicological Concern (TTC) as the draft opinion suggests. Further, the FPF suggests that chemical risk assessment of FCMs should be carried out in the finished article, considering an overall migrate including all NIAS, rather than assessing substance by substance. Also, CHEM Trust and the FPF highlight that substances of very high concern (SVHCs) are not addressed in the EFSA draft opinion, even though a study conducted by the FPF in 2014 showed that several SHVCs under the EU chemical regulation (REACH) are authorized for use in FCMs (FPF reported).
Read more
Chemical Watch (October 14, 2015). “NGOs criticize EFSA’s FCM safety assessment review.”
Martin Scheringer & Jane Muncke (October 2015). “Comment to the public consultation on ‘Draft Scientific Opinion on recent developments in the risk assessment of chemicals in food and their potential impact on the safety assessment of substances used in food contact materials’.” Food Packaging Forum (pdf)
Michael Warhurst & Ninja Reineke (October 2015). “CHEM Trust response to EFSA consultation on a draft scientific opinion on: ‘Recent developments in the risk assessment of chemicals in food and their potential impact on the safety assessment of substances used in food contact materials’.” CHEM Trust (pdf)
Reference
Geueke, B. et al. (2014). “Food contact substances and chemicals of concern: a comparison of inventories.” Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A 31(8):1438-1450.
