George Misko

Product safety issues demand-and get-center-stage attention. What will be expected of food and beverage packagers? How will they hold up when the spotlight is on them?

With a new administration in the White House, we’re likely to see more food safety regulations.

Several months ago, two Canadian agencies-Health Canada and Environment Canada-published a draft risk assessment for bisphenol-A (BPA). It declared that the substance is “toxic” within the meaning of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.

Last month we discussed the problems that U.S. companies faced during 2007 with respect to products imported from China that posed serious health and safety concerns and subsequently had to be recalled.

One of the things we’ll remember from 2007 is the many recalls of product imported from China. Almost every month, the public was hit with another health scare or product safety concern that resulted in recalls: pet food that contained melamine, toothpaste with diethylene glycol, toys with lead-based paints.

Like everything else these days, “green” claims have hit packaging in a big way. The emergence of new claims, such as “renewable” and “sustainable,” and claims about carbon offsets and renewable energy are all the rage now. They’re being pushed by product manufacturers, as well as by major retailers.

Santa’s not the only one making a list and checking it twice. The European Commission (EC) is working to complete its list of plastic additives for food packaging, and apparently is ready to grant a temporary reprieve for those additives not currently included.