EFSA Publishes Safety Assessment of Selenium Nanoparticles for Use in Active Food Contact Materials
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavorings, and Processing Aids evaluated food contact material (FCM) Substance No. 1070, which incorporates selenium nanoparticles into the adhesive middle layer of multilayer laminates with an outside polyethylene terephthalate (PET) layer and an inner polyolefin (food contact) layer. The results of the Panel’s evaluation are published in the January 2018 issue of the EFSA Journal in an article entitled “Safety assessment of the active substance selenium nanoparticles, for use in active food contact materials.” According to the abstract, in all tests, migration of selenium was not detectable. The article states that taking into account current knowledge on the diffusional properties of nanoparticles in polymers, the Panel concluded “there is no safety concern for the consumer if selenium nanoparticles are used in multilayer films and separated from the food by a polyolefin food contact layer for any type of food and under any food contact conditions.”