In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we are joined by Brian Sylvester, J.D., Partner in Perkins Coie LLP's Washington D.C. office and former U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Attorney-Advisor, to talk about the nationwide ramifications and precedent set by the recently passed California Food Safety Act banning four major food additives in the state.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has filed two petitions by the Environmental Defense Fund, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, the Center for Environmental Health, and Environmental Working Group (EWG) to rescind its approvals for four carcinogenic chemicals used as food additives and color additives—benzene, trichloroethylene (TCE), methylene chloride, and ethylene dichloride.

Based on a recent risk assessment conducted by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), European consumers’ dietary exposure to inorganic arsenic is a health concern, with associated effects including different types of cancer, birth issues, and other issues.

The cannabis industry is no exception to the potential risks of PFAS contamination, ranging from possible health and safety implications to a business' litigation risk.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently published a guidance for animal feed business operators on the information required when submitting a request for approval of a feed detoxification process, which can be used to reduce undesirable substances in a feed product to comply regulations and allow it to be placed on the market.

A new study has found microplastics particles in 88 percent of protein food samples across 16 types, with no statistical difference in microplastics concentrations between land- and ocean-sourced proteins.

Using a new microscopic technique that can detect minute particles of plastic, Rutgers Health and Columbia researchers have discovered that bottled drinking water contains 10–100 times more plastic particles than previous estimates have suggested.

Recent testing for phthalates and bisphenols like BPA in foods found all but one sample to contain phthalates and 79 percent of samples to contain bisphenols. Phthalates were present at worryingly high levels, although levels of bisphenols have decreased since 2009. The study was conducted by Consumer Reports.

The European Commission has officially voted to renew approval of the use of the controversial herbicide glyphosate in the EU until December 15, 2033.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we review the top food safety stories of 2023 and their implications, covering regulatory changes in the U.S. and abroad; growing concerns about chemical additives and contaminants, allergens, traceability requirements, infant formula, and retail foodservice safety; and the Poisoned documentary that premiered on Netflix in summer 2023.