On December 5, 2025, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has formally accepted a mandate from the European Parliament to conduct a scientific assessment of the health risks posed by microplastics in food, water, and air. The evaluation project is scheduled for completion by December 31, 2027, and its findings are expected to have a profound impact on future EU policies regarding microplastic regulation.
Background
According to documents released by EFSA, the Authority received a formal request (Mandate No.: M-2025-00117) from the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) on November 25, 2025. In a response letter to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, the Chair of EFSA confirmed the acceptance of this scientific assessment task.
Scope of the Assessment
Building on EFSA’s 2016 statement on microplastics and nanoplastics in food and seafood, as well as the outcomes of the 25th Scientific Colloquium held in 2021, the assessment will provide a comprehensive update of current knowledge. It will focus on the following six key areas:
- Human exposure pathways and bioaccumulation effects within the "One Health" framework
- Toxicological health impacts (hazard identification and characterization)
- Advances in quantitative analytical methods for microplastics and nanoplastics
- The role of microplastics as carriers of chemical contaminants in food
- Microplastics as vectors for microbial hazards in food of plant and animal origin
- Updates on dietary exposure and risk assessment, including an overview of existing monitoring data
EFSA has assigned the task to its Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain, with the Panel on Biological Hazards providing support for the fifth focus area. The results of this assessment will serve as critical scientific input for the future development of the food, beverage, and packaging industries.
Further Information
