Association of European Producers of Steel for Packaging reports steel packaging recycling in Europe at record high 79.5% in 2016; ‘well on track’ for self-imposed target of 80% recycling by 2020
2024 food contact chemical and material policy outlook
Public and political concerns related to chemical exposures, human health, and environmental pollution continue to grow; brief overview of some of the EU, US, and UN policies and projects that FPF is tracking in 2024
FCM analysis at BioDetectors conference 2018
11th BioDetectors conference addresses use of cell-based bioassays in food contact material safety analysis
Health effects of perchlorate exposure
Review of perchlorate’s human health effects finds ‘mixed results’ regarding neurodevelopment; Austrian assessment of dietary perchlorate exposure finds exceedance of tolerable daily intake levels for high consumption; recent studies address effects in newborns, other effects
Proceedings of EFSA conference 2018
Proceedings of European Food Safety Authority’s 3rd scientific conference held in September 2018 now published
EFSA working group updates in October 2019
Minutes from recent meetings of the EFSA working groups on BPS, BPA, FCMs, and recycling plastic available
EFSA working group updates in November 2020 to March 2021
Minutes from recent meetings of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) CEP panel and working groups on bisphenol A (BPA), food contact materials (FCMs), recycling plastics, and phthalates published; groups continue discussions and revisions of draft opinions; new working group on re-evaluation of phthalates and structurally similar substances in FCMs launched
New tool for research on EDCs
Researchers develop new in vivo assay screen for potential estrogenic activity of chemicals
Studies detect microplastics in food and link it to packaging, processing equipment
Several articles published since the beginning of 2023 have analyzed plastic particles in packaged foods and beverages, including salt, sugar, canned fish, bottled water, soft drinks, and cold tea; draw a connection to packaging and food processing; migration studies demonstrate particle release from plastic food containers and breastmilk storage bags; review develops 10 criteria for data quality assessment and find most studies “unreliable” on one or more criteria
Epidemiology of mixtures: Xenoestrogens and breast cancer
Scientists find strong association between breast cancer risk and total burden of xenoestrogens; in contrast, individual compounds show only weak associations, if any