A study led by researchers from the University of Antwerp has found that ultra-processed plant-based foods contain high levels of organophosphorus flame retardants and plasticizers in comparison to their animal-based analogs, but a dietary exposure risk assessment did not raise a health concern for the adult population, including vegans.
In an April 22 press conference, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary announced FDA's plan to work with industry to phase out synthetic, petroleum-based dyes from the nation’s food supply.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to industry attorney Alfredo Fernández about what the new Toxic Substances Control Act and emerging state legislation mean for food manufacturers, importers, and businesses regarding compliance with U.S. requirements for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food contact materials and packaging.
Researchers funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and led by the University at Buffalo have created a filtration system that can effectively remove 90 and 80 percent of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from groundwater and sewage, respectively. It is more effective and cost- and resource-efficient than activated carbon filtration.
FDA carried out a sampling and testing assignment of bottled waters for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in 2023–2024. Although PFAS were detected in ten samples, no bottled waters were found to have levels of “forever chemicals” exceeding EPA maximum limits for PFAS in drinking water.
A study demonstrated the toxic effects of exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in worms—but not all PFAS were found to be equally toxic, and not all worms experienced the same harms. Identifying which genes cause PFAS susceptibility in both worms and humans could speed up PFAS testing and regulation.
The latest data published by the Swedish Food Agency shows that very few foods on the Swedish market violate EU pesticide residue limits, and more than half of foods tested contained no detectable levels of pesticides at all.
Additional resources and authorities, made possible by user fees for the regulated food industry, could enable FDA to better monitor the food supply and review the safety of ingredients, argues a new expert policy analysis.
A paper authored by experts associated with ILSI Europe asserts that global food safety would benefit from the harmonization of risk assessment protocols for food contact materials used by different regulatory bodies, and suggests a path forward for working toward harmonization.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has alerted the public that pathogens resistant to last-resort carbapenem antibiotics are increasingly being found in European food animals and food products.