Feedback from two public consultations has helped EFSA’s scientists prioritise reassessments of plasticiser substances used in food contact materials (FCMs) and define a protocol for assessing consumer exposure. Full risk assessments will follow in a second step.

The European Commission asked EFSA to carry out preparatory work to re-evaluate the health risks from plasticisers such as phthalates, structurally similar substances, and substances used to replace phthalates in FCMs.

Our scientific opinion focusses on plasticisers used in different types of FCMs (e.g. plastics, rubber and inks) across the food chain (e.g. food processing equipment and packaging).

For the identification and prioritisation process, we considered information provided by the Commission, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), and EU Member States. Two public consultations provided additional input and helped us further clarify the rationale for including substances in the prioritisation exercise.

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