FDA Determines Authorization for 35 Food Contact Notifications Related to PFAS Are No Longer Effective
Constituent Update
January 3, 2025
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a notice in the Federal Register announcing its determination that 35 food contact notifications (FCNs) related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are no longer effective. The agency has determined that the uses of these 35 FCNs have been abandoned because the manufacturers or suppliers have ceased production, supply, or use of the food contact substances. The 35 FCNs had previously authorized food contact substances used for grease-proofing coatings applied to paper and paperboard packaging to prevent leaking of oil and water.
Today’s announcement is the latest effort in a series of activities that the FDA has taken to address certain PFAS substances, dating back to the early 2000s. In July 2020, manufacturers or suppliers of the food contact substances voluntarily agreed to phase-out their sales of the grease-proofing substances that contained PFAS. In February 2024, the FDA announced that all grease-proofing substances containing PFAS are no longer being sold by manufacturers for food contact use in the U.S. market.
The 35 FCNs identified in today’s Federal Register notice are no longer effective as of January 6, 2025. However, we recognize manufacturers or suppliers of certain food contact substances may require additional time to exhaust existing stocks of food contact articles (i.e., paper food packaging), and we have established a compliance date of June 30, 2025 for certain food paper packaging produced, supplied, or used before January 6, 2025.
In addition to determining that grease-proofing substances containing PFAS are no longer authorized for use in paper and paperboard food packaging, the FDA has developed a screening method to detect grease-proofing agents containing PFAS in paper and paperboard packaging to allow the agency to monitor the paper food packaging market for these food contact substances.
Additional Information
- FDA Announces PFAS Used in Grease-Proofing Agents for Food Packaging No Longer Being Sold in the U.S.
- Inventory of Food Contact Notifications That Are No Longer Effective
- Market Phase-Out of Grease-Proofing Substances Containing PFAS
- Food Packaging & Other Substances that Come in Contact with Food Information for Consumers
- Understanding How the FDA Regulates Substances that Come into Contact with Food
- FDA Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS)