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There are significant knowledge gaps regarding the presence of nano- and microplastics in foods and their harmful effects on human health, according to a report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has explained the science behind its draft opinion on the public health risk of nitrosamines in food, which was recently opened to public consultation.

As part of the Closer to Zero Action Plan, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has asked the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct an independent study to assess young children’s exposure to mercury from consuming seafood.

As the focus on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) intensifies, multiple states and some U.S. federal agencies are implementing or considering implementation of restrictions or bans on the products use in food contact articles. This article focuses on the restrictions and bans in the U.S. that impact the use of PFAS in food packaging, and includes a discussion of the challenges manufacturers face due to inconsistent science and policy decision related to the use of these chemicals in food packaging.

This article covers U.S. regulatory oversight in establishing pesticide residue tolerances, testing for residues in domestic goods and imports, and the importance of science-based standards for global trade and food safety.

A recent report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization raises a concern with the limited existing data on seaweed food safety, and recommends several actions to close knowledge gaps and increase the safety of seaweed consumption.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for a chance to withdraw the agency’s own decision to approve the fungicide difenoconazole for use on crops, agreeing with a lawsuit that states the agency needs to acquire more data on the fungicide’s toxicity.

A recent study has found pervasive, low levels of lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and phthalates in U.S. cannabidiol products. The study also demonstrated substantial inaccuracies of product label claims for CBD potency.

Recent studies have found that microplastics and nanoplastics move upward through the food chain and land in the human gut, and have also demonstrated the ability of the particles to encourage biofilm formation, harbor pathogens, and affect microbial growth in ways that may affect human health.

The IFT FIRST event offered several key takeaways impacting food safety, from topics and issues surrounding supply chain disruption and innovation to data standards and contaminants.