The twelfth episode of Food & Chemicals Unpacked explores the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) currently being advanced in the European Union (EU). Keller and Heckman Partner Hazel O’Keeffe joins us to provide an overview of the proposed packaging regulation and discuss the PPWR’s main objectives and impacts that it will have on food packaging, cosmetics, and various other types of consumer products. Throughout our discussion, we cover topics such as recyclability, substances of concern, and packaging minimization targets. We also briefly touch on the Single Use Plastics Directive, challenges and opportunities the PPWR presents, along with actionable steps companies can take to stay ahead. Join us for this informative episode as we explore the future of packaging and its link to environmental sustainability.

In this episode, we cover "economic adulteration," which is intentionally changing a food product's composition for an economic motive (e.g., removing or substituting a valuable ingredient or part of a food). This is often referred to as “food fraud." Keller and Heckman Partner Tony Pavel joins us to provide an overview of the history of economic adulteration in the U.S. and more globally, and how this phenomenon has contributed to the evolution of food safety laws. We cover a few different examples of economically adulterated food products, which shed light on the ongoing challenges that regulators, food safety experts, and supply chain managers face in addressing this issue. We also discuss what companies should be doing to mitigate risk.

This episode provides an update on recent activity involving the use of food additive titanium dioxide (TiO2). It includes a brief background on the use of TiO2 followed by the recent inquiries into the safety of TiO2 in France and Europe, and a recent statement by FDA confirming the safety of the food additive. Dr. Ivan Boyer, a staff toxicologist at Keller and Heckman, shares his insights on the scientific data and the deficiencies in the EFSA assessment that underpinned the recent European ban on TiO2 as a food additive.