Minutes of the 4th meeting of EFSA’s CEP Panel working group on food contact materials now available online; WG continues risk-assessing several new FCMs, discusses prioritization of substances listed in the EU food contact plastics regulation without specific migration limits
Analysis of properties of nanoclay platelets in FCM
Physical and toxicological properties of nanoclay platelets in polyactic acid (PLA) food contact materials
Review assesses 20 years of food safety research
Integrative review analyzes recent scientific advances in food and environmental safety; scientometric analysis reveals increasing multidisciplinary interest between 2001 and 2020; finds contaminants and environmentally friendly food packaging as emerging research topics in the field of food safety
Plastics and the triple planetary crisis
Fact sheet from Scientists’ Coalition explains the impacts of plastics on climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution; highlights how the plastics treaty and other multilateral environmental agreements can address the triple planetary crisis
Evidence on BPA’s ubiquity and low-dose effects
New study reviews and substantiates ubiquitous occurrence of bisphenol A in the environment and adverse health effects from low-dose exposures to it
BPA classified as reproductive toxicant
European Commission’s REACH Committee adopts draft regulation classifying BPA as ‘toxic for reproduction’
Plastics additives and recycling
Scientists review chemical additives in plastics, addressing migration and environmental impact during their use, disposal, and recycling; emission of toxics and contamination of recycled products should be avoided to ensure health and environmental protection
Surfactants linked to birth defects
New U.S. scientific study associates exposure to quaternary ammonium compounds with transgenerational birth defects in rodents
Measuring plastic particles released from food packaging and in human lungs
Scientists investigate plastic particles released from store-bought food packaging as well as human and mice health impacts of exposure; report single-use plastic products release >1012 nano-sized particles during use; find microplastics to suppress lysosomal activity in mouse macrophages; first detection of microplastics within human lung tissue samples; in vitro neurotoxicity study finds microplastics negatively impact human forebrain organoid development
Brominated flame retardants detected in Korean FCMs
Varying levels of the four major brominated flame retardants found in polystyrene food contact materials