IN Brief:
- EFSA has published draft data requirements covering hazardous bisphenols other than BPA in food-contact uses.
- The framework addresses migration scenarios and a wider toxicology package than standard genotoxicity alone.
- Packaging suppliers and food manufacturers face another tightening turn in materials scrutiny.
EFSA has opened consultation on draft data requirements for the safety assessment of hazardous bisphenols other than BPA and their derivatives when used in specific food-contact material applications, adding another layer of pressure to packaging compliance across the food sector.
The move follows the European Commission’s December 2024 ban on bisphenol A in food-contact materials. Under the newer framework, other hazardous bisphenols may still be considered for limited uses, but only where they have been authorised. EFSA’s draft statement is intended to give applicants and risk assessors a more structured route for those assessments.
The proposed requirements cover different migration scenarios and extend across endpoints including immunotoxicity, developmental and reproductive toxicity, metabolic effects, and toxicokinetic behaviour. Even at the lowest migration levels, the draft indicates that data beyond standard genotoxicity testing may be needed, reflecting concern over low-dose effects associated with BPA and related substances.
For packaging buyers, converters, and food manufacturers, that means the regulatory burden is shifting further upstream into substance selection, data generation, and supplier documentation. Materials approval is becoming less about broad declarations and more about substance-level evidence, which will favour suppliers able to support applications with deeper toxicology and migration files.