The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has amended its 2018 Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulation, proposing a ban on PFAS and bisphenol A (BPA) usage in food packaging.
The draft amendment reads: “PFAS shall not be used to manufacture food contact materials. Food contact materials manufactured with polycarbonate and epoxy resins shall be free from BPA and its derivatives.”
After announcing the draft amendment on the ban on PFAS and bisphenol A, FSSAI opened a 12-week public consultation, inviting both businesses and consumers to share feedback on the proposal.
Research has tied PFAS exposure to various health issues, with some studies indicating it could even affect fetuses before birth.
PFAS and BPA, sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals,” are synthetic substances linked to environmental and health risks. Their ability to resist water and grease has kept them widely used in food packaging, but many companies are now working to remove them from their products. One such example is Lecta Self-Adhesives, which launched Adestor Gloss GP PFAS-free, a labeling material designed to maintain both performance and safety in food applications.
Studies into PFAS continue worldwide. In one Norwegian study published last year, researchers found a link between PFAS in everyday consumer products and delayed puberty in children.
Governments are tightening regulations around PFAS use in packaging. In the US, California recently passed Senate amendments banning PFAS in food packaging and cookware. The new law prohibits the sale or distribution of packaging with intentionally added PFAS from January 1, 2028.
Across the Atlantic, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has revised its PFAS restriction process, excluding eight partially related sectors tied to packaging. The non-profit ChemSec has warned that this could undermine the EU Chemicals Industry Action Plan’s wider goal of eliminating PFAS.