The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Scientific Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP Panel) “evaluates the safety of chemical substances added to food or used in food packaging, and related processes. The Panel’s work mainly concerns substances and processes evaluated by EFSA before their use can be authorized in the EU.” Working groups within the Panel focus on particular issues that the Panel and EFSA are tasked with evaluating.
There will be a call soon “for Expressions of Interest for Membership of the Scientific Panels (including the CEP Panel) and the Scientific Committee of EFSA 2023.”
Working group on food contact materials (WG-FCMs)
The WG-FCMs had four meetings between October and February. At each meeting, the panel reviewed draft opinions on new food contact materials and chemicals. Furthermore, the Working Group also continued discussions of “principles that can potentially be used in the safety assessment of compounds and mixtures of natural origin in FCM substances” (e.g. packaging made of coffee bean shells or with ground sunflower seed hulls).
At the 32nd meeting in October 2022, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) presented how the International Uniform Chemical Information Database (IUCLID) is used for submitting and assessing data pertaining to the EU drinking water directive. WG-FCMs discussed possible applications of IUCLID for FCM assessment. At the same meeting, the group received feedback from the European Commission (EC) concerning the safety of styrene in FCMs. The Commission “provided feedback on their intention to follow up the assessment made by EFSA [in 2020] and to set a specific migration limit (SML)” (FPF reported). At the following WG-FCMs meeting in December 2022, EFSA representatives presented the styrene draft received from the EC.
Working group on BPA re-evaluation (WG-BPA)
In the one meeting of the WG-BPA “[t]he WG experts finalised the last revisions made in the uncertainty analysis sections of the opinion [(FPF reported)], as well as in the hazard characterisation and risk characterisation sections. Abstract, summary and conclusions of the opinion were finally checked and agreed.”
No additional meetings of the group were scheduled.
Working group on recycling plastics (WG-RP)
There were four meetings of the WG-RP. As always, most meetings were dedicated to reviewing plastic recycling for food contact.
However, on October 10, 2022, the new Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/1616 on recycled plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with foods entered into force (FPF reported). This updated regulation brought “new rules applicable to novel recycling technologies and the evaluation of recycling processes” and brought all kinds of plastics recycling for FCMs in the EU under one regulation.
At previous WG-RP meetings the panel would be informed of which recycling recommendations previously made by the panel were validated or awaiting validation by EFSA. Following October 10th, WG-RP members were also informed “about mandates that were terminated in accordance with the provisions of the new recycling Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/1616.”
References
EFSA CEP Panel. “Minutes of the meetings of the working group on food contact materials 2018-2024.” (pdf)
EFSA CEP Panel. “Minutes of the meetings of the working group on BPA re-evaluation.” (pdf)
EFSA CEP Panel. “Minutes of the meetings of the working group on recycling plastics 2018-2024.” (pdf)
EFSA CEP Panel. “Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids.”
