The Chinese government approved a restructuring plan on March 14, 2013, which will result in extensive changes to China's regulatory agencies responsible for food and food packaging. A goal of the restructuring plan is to streamline food regulatory matters.

Since the beginning of 2013, legislation to restrict the use of Bisphenol A (BPA) or require labeling has been introduced in a number of states, including Connecticut, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Texas. A brief summary of these bills is provided below.

The Chinese Ministry of Health (MOH) published on its website, on November 16, 2012, the third and final batch of draft approvals for food packaging materials petitioned under the "clean-up" procedures. The "clean-up" procedures allowed manufacturers of unapproved food packaging materials to file petitions seeking an appropriate clearance. For example, many companies filed petitions to clear additives that were not the subject of an approval for their intended use under China's Hygienic Standard for Additives in Food Containers and Packaging Materials (GB 9685-2008).

Keller and Heckman will host its annual Food Packaging Law Seminar on October 24 - 25, 2012, in Arlington, VA. This highly-acclaimed, annual seminar helps attendees keep up-to-date on new global food packaging laws, provides a review of U.S. and European Union (EU) packaging regulations, and offers in-depth coverage of specific topics. This year, Keller and Heckman will host Jason Aungst, Ph.D., a Supervisory Toxicologist at FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, as a luncheon speaker.

Customer assurance statements for food-packaging materials are an important aspect of packaging law that should be carefully considered by manufacturers, explained Jeffrey Keithline, a partner in Keller and Heckman's Washington, D.C. office, during a presentation on providing and interpreting customer assurances.

The Chinese Ministry of Health (MOH) issued its Management Rules for the Administrative Approval of New Varieties of Food Related Products (the Rules) on June 1, 2011. The Rules set out procedures and requirements for the submission of petitions to clear the use of resins and additives in food packaging materials. The MOH has also released an accompanying guidance (Guidance), which details data requirements not specified in the Rules.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) of the People's Republic of China published, on its website on March 30, 2011, the Management Rules for the Administrative Approval of New Varieties of Food Related Products (the Rules). The Rules govern the approval of new food packaging materials, expanded uses of currently approved additives and food packaging materials, new disinfectants and detergents for food use, and substances used in tools and equipment intended for direct food contact. The Rules, which became effective June 1, 2011, finalized draft Rules published by MOH in May 2009.