Plant-based food contact materials: presence of hazardous substances.

As a result of the European Single Use Plastic Directive and as part of the transition to a circular economy, plastic food contact materials (FCMs) are being replaced, often by renewable plant-based materials. This research aimed to identify which chemical substances are present in plant-based materials. In 2022 a total of 28 samples of the latter materials from the Dutch market were analysed for 313 active substances from plant protection products, 47 per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFASs) and 27 heavy metals and other elements.

Opportunities for Regulatory Authorities to Assess Animal-Based Measures at the Slaughterhouse Using Sensor Technology and Artificial Intelligence: A Review.

Animal-based measures (ABMs) are the preferred way to assess animal welfare. However, manual scoring of ABMs is very time-consuming during the meat inspection. Automatic scoring by using sensor technology and artificial intelligence (AI) may bring a solution.

Mixture effects of tetrodotoxin (TTX) and drugs targeting voltage-gated sodium channels on spontaneous neuronal activity in vitro.

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) potently inhibits TTX-sensitive voltage-gated sodium (Na) channels in nerve and muscle cells, potentially resulting in depressed neurotransmission, paralysis and death from respiratory failure. Since a wide range of pharmaceutical drugs is known to also act on Na channels, the use of medicines could predispose individuals to a higher susceptibility towards TTX toxicity. We therefore first assessed the inhibitory effect of selected medicines that act on TTX-sensitive (Riluzole, Chloroquine, Fluoxetine, Valproic acid, Lamotrigine, Lidocaine) and TTX-resistant (Carbamazepine, Mexiletine, Flecainide) Na channels on spontaneous neuronal activity of rat primary cortical cultures grown on microelectrode arrays (MEA).

Current approaches and challenges of sample preparation procedures for the safety assessment of paper and cardboard food contact materials: A comprehensive review.

In the European Union (EU), Regulation (EC) 1935/2004 provides a harmonized legal EU framework and sets out the general principles for safety and inertness for all Food Contact Materials (FCMs) and Food Contact Articles. From a food safety point of view, however, specific EU legislation for paper and cardboard FCMs is lacking, while at Member State level, national legislation differs among countries. More than 11,000 chemicals have been identified in all types of FCMs, most of them without any information on toxicity or migration potential from FCM to food.

Enhancing the use of exposure science across EU chemical policies as part of the European Exposure Science Strategy 2020-2030.

Background: A scientific framework on exposure science will boost the multiuse of exposure knowledge across EU chemicals-related policies and improve risk assessment, risk management and communication across EU safety, security and sustainability domains.

Objective: To stimulate public and private actors to align and strengthen the cross-policy adoption of exposure assessment data, methods and tools across EU legislation.

Methods: By mapping and analysing the EU regulatory landscape making use of exposure information, policy and research challenges and key areas of action are identified and translated into opportunities enhancing policy and scientific efficiency.

Possible Adverse Effects of Food Additive E171 (Titanium Dioxide) Related to Particle Specific Human Toxicity, Including the Immune System.

Titanium dioxide (TiO) is used as a food additive (E171) and can be found in sauces, icings, and chewing gums, as well as in personal care products such as toothpaste and pharmaceutical tablets. Along with the ubiquitous presence of TiO and recent insights into its potentially hazardous properties, there are concerns about its application in commercially available products. Especially the nano-sized particle fraction (<100 nm) of TiO warrants a more detailed evaluation of potential adverse health effects after ingestion.

A health risk for consumers: the presence of adulterated food supplements in the Netherlands.

The use of food supplements is increasing. They are marketed as beneficial for health, well-being, physical or mental condition and performance, or to prevent diseases. Producers add synthetic compounds or illicit herbal material to food supplements to claim desired effects.

PBT assessment using the revised annex XIII of REACH: a comparison with other regulatory frameworks.

There is no uniform Persistent, Bioaccumulative, Toxic (PBT) or very Persistent, very Bioaccumulative (vPvB) assessment of chemicals in Europe, as the various regulatory frameworks use only limited or dissimilar PBT assessments, or none at all. The European REACH Regulation requires a PBT/vPvB assessment for all chemical substances that are produced within or imported into the EU in amounts exceeding 10 tonnes per year, using the criteria as described in REACH Annex XIII. However, not all substances on the EU market need to be screened according to these criteria under REACH.

The European Union risk assessment on zinc and zinc compounds: the process and the facts.

A risk assessment on zinc and zinc compouns was carried out withn the framework of Council Regulation 793/93/EEC on Existing Chemicals. This risk assessment basically followed the European Union (EU) technical guidance documents (TGDs). These TGDs are built on the current knowledge on quantitative risk assessments, mainly for organic chemicals.

Dry deposition of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in three Plantago species.

The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the leaf wax of three Plantago species were determined weekly for 3 weeks. The almost glabrous, free-standing leaves of Plantago major and the sparsely hairy Plantago lanceolata leaves were more heavily contaminated with low molecular weight (MW) PAHs (MW < 228) than the densely hairy, partly overlapping Plantago media leaves. This may be caused by the lower canopy roughness (higher aerodynamic resistance), the higher amount of leaf hairs (higher boundary resistance), and/or the higher leaf overlap (smaller accessible leaf area) of P.