Food Packaging News and Research

RSS

Phthalates and other plasticizers found in US fast foods

Chicken nuggets, burritos and other popular items consumers buy from fast food outlets in the United States contain chemicals that are linked to a long list of serious health problems, according to a first-of-its-kind study published today.

27 Oct 2021

Study finds nearly 42,000 sources of toxic "forever chemicals" that could be polluting water bodies

A new study by Environmental Working Group scientists finds almost 42,000 potential sources of the toxic "forever chemicals" known as PFAS that could be polluting surface water or drinking water in communities across the U.S.

12 Oct 2021

Color-coded labels may encourage the purchase of more healthful products

A new analysis has integrated findings from 134 studies of the impact of color-coded nutrition labels and warnings found on the front of some food packaging, indicating that these labels do indeed appear to encourage more healthful purchases. Jing Song of Queen Mary University of London, UK, and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS Medicine.

6 Oct 2021

Researchers explore serious impact of obesogens on childhood and adult obesity

Everyday exposure to obesity-promoting chemicals (obesogens) represents a significant risk to public health, and needs stronger regulation to minimize exposure and protect people's health, according to evidence presented today at the 59th Annual European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology Meeting.

25 Sep 2021

PFAS exposure associated with decreasing nutritional value of breast milk

New research shows that exposure to PFAS chemicals is linked with decreasing nutritional value of breast milk.

20 Sep 2021

Can SARS-CoV-2 be transmitted in the food cold chain?

A new study reports that the risk of transmitting SARS-CoV-2 through such fomites is very low.

30 Aug 2021

Human coronaviruses need organic materials to transfer efficiently between surfaces

This study, published in the journal Viruses, indicated that human coronaviruses do not transfer effectively from contaminated hands to contact surfaces without the presence of any organic material.

21 Jul 2021

German-Austrian Cornet project focuses on detection and prevention of microplastics in food

High-tech methods for detecting microplastics in food and suitable prevention measures are the focus of the joint German-Austrian Cornet project "MicroplasticATfood", which kicked off on 1 July 2021.

9 Jul 2021

Researchers find several persistent industrial chemicals in fetal organs

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden found industrial chemicals in the organs of fetuses conceived decades after many countries had banned the substances.

16 Jun 2021

Cold winter temperatures may accelerate spread of SARS-CoV-2

Writing in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, the team from Weifang Medical University said: “We believe that the low-temperature environment in winter may accelerate the spread of the outbreak and that new outbreaks may occur.”

9 Jun 2021

Systematic review: Exposure to endocrine-disruptors could elevate breast cancer risk

Exposure to certain endocrine-disrupting chemicals could elevate the risk of breast cancer, according to a new comprehensive systematic review of epidemiological research.

20 Apr 2021

Plasticizers can impair important brain functions in humans

The plasticizers contained in many everyday objects can impair important brain functions in humans. Biologists from the University of Bayreuth warn of this danger in an article in Communications Biology.

12 Apr 2021

Food preservative may harm the immune system, shows new study

A food preservative used to prolong the shelf life of Pop-Tarts, Rice Krispies Treats, Cheez-Its and almost 1,250 other popular processed foods may harm the immune system, according to a new peer-reviewed study by Environmental Working Group.

25 Mar 2021

USDA, FDA highlight no credible evidence of COVID-19 transmission through food or food packaging

After more than a year since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak was declared a global health emergency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to underscore that there is no credible evidence of food or food packaging associated with or as a likely source of viral transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus causing COVID-19.

18 Feb 2021

What are the main food safety concerns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic?

A new study deals with the main food safety concerns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

17 Feb 2021

The Future of Environmental and Food Monitoring

NewsMed interviews Professor Antje Baeumner about the future of food and environmental monitoring, the subject of her 2021 Pittcon presentation.

From Pittcon 12 Feb 2021

Researchers produce lightweight grab-poles with anti-microbial property for public transport

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic many people have been, or may feel, hesitant about taking public transport, due to the perceived risk of picking up germs from areas such as the grab-poles on trains, buses and trams, which are the principal point of contact.

13 Jan 2021

What safety measures have food suppliers implemented in response to COVID-19?

Researchers surveyed small to large food companies in 16 countries on food safety attributes and emergency plans. They found that less than half the food companies had documented putting emergency plans in place for pandemics and public health crises.

9 Dec 2020

Food products are potential SARS-CoV-2 carriers, study finds

A team of scientists at the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and the Food Safety Research Center in Iran has emphasized the risk of various staple food products, including meat, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and ready-to-eat foods, as potential carriers of SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

20 Nov 2020

New digital platform may improve consumers’ understanding of health claims made on food packaging

The Health Claims Unpacked project, funded by European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Food has launched a new version of its digital platform to improve consumer understanding of health claims made on food packaging.

19 Nov 2020