Food legislation and food safety - May 2019

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs)
On 18 April the European Parliament (EP) adopted a resolution on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The resolution calls for the European Commission (EC) to “swiftly take all necessary action to ensure a high level of protection of human health and the environment against EDCs by effectively minimizing overall exposure of humans and the environment to EDCs.” It also specifically calls on the Commission “to revise the Regulation on Food Contact Materials no later than June 2020 in order to effectively reduce the content of hazardous substances therein, with specific provisions to substitute the use of EDCs”. One of the studies taken into regard was the recently published study (2.46 MB) entitled ‘Endocrine Disruptors: from Scientific Evidence to Human Health Protection’, commissioned by the EP.

Food contact materials in the US and Canada
On 9 May the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) submitted a notice to the Federal Register announcing the availability of the guidance for industry entitled “Preparation of food contact notifications for food contact substances in contact with human formula and/or human milk.” Food Packaging Forum has reported on a decision by the FDA to deny a request submitted by nine NGOs for a public hearing to challenge earlier conclusions reached by the agency on use of the chemical perchlorate (CAS 14797-73-0) in food packaging.
Food Packaging Forum has also reported that the Canadian government has provisionally concluded that three triazine and triazole substances are not harmful at the present exposure levels. One of these three substances, hexa(methoxymethyl)melamine (CAS 3089-11-0), is used in food packaging.

Polypropylene cups and migration
JRC scientists studied the impact of pre-heating on migration properties of polypropylene cups. Results showed that heat-treated plastic cups may undergo some changes that impact the migrating amounts of additives under certain pre-heating conditions. Consequently, the EURL-FCM recommends avoiding pre-heating prior to migration testing. An article (2.58 MB) about the research is published in Food Packaging and Shelf Life.

Labelling and mislabelling
The FDA’s mandatory added sugar labelling policy for packaged foods and beverages is set to take effect between 2020 and 2021. According to a new study led by researchers from Tufts University this policy could be a cost-effective way to generate important health gains and cost-savings for both the healthcare system and society in the U.S. The study (738 kB) is published in Circulation.
The European Commission has published the 2018 report (1.17 MB) on the activities of the EU Food Fraud Network. In 2018 234 requests for cooperation were launched. 42% of the cases had to do with mislabelling.

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