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.
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.
A proposed strategy from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) aims to improve the agency’s screening process for the harmful effects that pesticides and agricultural chemicals may have on the human endocrine system, starting with immediately requiring additional data to be submitted by the manufacturers of certain high-priority chemicals.
With regard to the recently recalled, lead-contaminated applesauce packages that have caused lead poisoning among dozens of children, Jim Jones, Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), recently shared that the agency’s leading theory is economically motivated adulteration of cinnamon used in the products.
New microbial and chemical risks come with the greater incorporation of plant-based raw materials into human diets and the introduction of reusable packaging
The added microbial risks that come with eating more plant-based foods can usually be mitigated by adjusting recipes or process parameters, although hazard considerations regarding the chemical safety of a diet richer in plant-based materials is more complex. Also, introducing reusable packaging may come with its own set of issues.