EFSA Publishes Assessment Guidance For Bisphenols Beyond BPA In Food Contact

Guidance Covers Hazardous And Non-Classified Bisphenols

EFSA published guidance on bisphenols other than BPA and their derivatives on 16 October 2026. It supplements the existing food-contact Note for Guidance and covers both plastic and non-plastic applications.

The document addresses hazardous bisphenols and applications involving non-classified alternatives, with the stated aim of avoiding regrettable substitution.

Low Migration Requires More Than Genotoxicity Data

Even below 0.05 mg/kg food, the guidance requests additional evidence on immune, developmental, reproductive and metabolic effects, alongside toxicokinetic data. EFSA allows scientifically justified omissions in individual cases and may request further evidence.

The migration figure defines an assessment scenario; it is not a new universal legal limit. The guidance's January 2027 date is the deadline for EFSA's scientific task, not an industry filing deadline.

Scientific Assessment And Authorisation Remain Separate

EFSA's food-contact overview explains that its assessments consider chemicals transferring from materials into food, using migration and toxicological evidence. Its scientific advice informs legislative decisions by the European Commission.

The guidance describes evidence needed for assessment. Its publication does not itself authorise a bisphenol replacement for use in a finished food-contact material.

Substitution Decisions Need Substance-Specific Evidence

Foresight analysis. A BPA-free claim does not supply the migration and toxicological evidence described in this guidance. Packaging teams assessing an alternative should identify the replacement substance and intended contact conditions, then establish which requested data are available and which omissions would need scientific justification.