Eurofins | Newsflash - February 2018 | FCM

Europe

EFSA Publication about Bisphenol A On December 2017, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published the following documents: Bisphenol A (BPA) hazard assessment protocol Report on the public consultation on the draft EFSA Bisphenol A (BPA) hazard assessment protocol The next step for EFSA is to create a new working group in 2018 and to compile scientific data in order to start its re-evaluation of the toxicity of Bisphenol A. This substance has been identified by ECHA as a substance of very high concern (SVHC) because of its endocrine disrupting properties which cause probable serious effects to human health. Click here for more information

Europe

European Parliament Supports EC’s Draft Regulation on Bisphenol A

The European Parliament Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety issued its draft Motion for a Resolution concerning the draft regulation proposal of the European Commission (EC) on the use of Bisphenol A in varnishes and coatings intended to come into contact with food and amending Regulation (EU) No 10/2011.

The Committee adopted the European Commission draft regulation and rejected a motion to completely ban BPA in all Food Contact Materials.

The European Commission draft regulation proposes to lower the Specific Migration Limit for BPA from 0.6 mg/kg to 0.05 mg/Kg, applicable to plastics and also to varnishes and coatings in contact with food.
 
Click here to access the European Parliament motion (“Miscellaneous - 1141754 “)

Europe

Proposal to Restrict C9-C14 Perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs), Their Salts and Related Substances

The Swedish Chemicals Agency (KEMI ) and the German Environment Agency (UBA) submitted to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) a proposal to restrict C9-C14 PFCAs (PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFDoDA, PFTrDA, PFTeDA), their salts and precursors.
 
These substances, due to their repellent properties (water, grease, dirt), are used in many products such as food packaging, kitchenware, textiles, detergents and cosmetics. However, their hazard profile is well known and they are very likely to cause severe and irreversible adverse effects to the environment and to human health if their releases are not minimized
 
ECHA’s public consultation on Annex XV report started on 20 December 2017 and final deadline for comments on this restriction report will be 20 June 2018.

ECHA’s Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) and Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) are expected to start discussions on the proposal in March 2018.
 

 
Click here to go to KEMI website.
Click here to go to ECHA website (Submitted restrictions under consideration)

Europe

Test Methods for Measuring Migration of Metals from Ceramics and Glass   The Commission’s Directorate-General Health and Food Safety (SANTE) entrusted the European Commission (EC) Joint Research Centre (JRC) to investigate testing methods for migration of metals from ceramics and glass. With this aim, on August 2017, the JRC’s European Reference Laboratory for Food Contact Materials (EURL-FCM) published a first report about the inter-laboratory comparison exercise (ILC) organised by them on the determination of selected metals in acetic acid solutions as well as migration of certain elements from ceramic and glass tableware. On December 2017, EURL-FCM issued a final report on its work in support of the revision of the EU Ceramic Directive 84/500/EEC which intends to reduce migration limits of lead and cranium and also include limits for other metals. Click here to get the EURL-FCM report entitled “Towards suitable tests for the migration of metals from ceramic and crystal tableware”

Germany

German BfR Updated Q&A on Mineral Oils

On December 2017, the German Federal Institute on Risk Assessment (BfR) updated its Q&A information document on mineral oil in food and food packaging.

Click here for getting the information document.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Notified New Standards for Food Packaging   Food and Drug Authority of Saudi Arabia has notified two new standards to WTO (World Trade Organization). Standard GSO 839/2017 defines very fundamental requirements for all types of food contact materials while standard GSO 1836/2017 defines concrete requirements on food safety comparable to European Plastic Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011.

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