In response to a mandate from the European Commission, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will be reevaluating the health risks posed by plasticizers used in food contact materials (FCMs). The agency has published its scientific protocol for the hazard assessment of the substances, marking the latest step in EFSA’s preparation for such work.
The protocol for the hazard assessment was developed in consideration of EFSA’s May 2022 scientific opinion that identified which plasticizers used in FCMs may warrant further data collection and eventual risk assessment. Publication of the scientific opinion fulfilled the first part of the European Commission’s two-part mandate, and lays the groundwork for the reevaluation of the health hazards associated with plasticizers in FCMs.