Center for Research on Ingredient Safety

2021 Science Symposium on Packaging Ingredients

Session One: Nano Materials in Packaging

Sabina Halappanavar, Ph.D., Research Scientist at Health Canada and an Adjunct Professor at the Department of Biology of University of Ottawa, Canada.
 
Talk Title: Nanomaterials safety assessment: challenges and opportunities

Sabina Halappanavar, Ph.D. is a Research Scientist at Health Canada and an Adjunct Professor at the Department of Biology of University of Ottawa, Canada. She is investigating the early molecular origin of cardio-pulmonary diseases induced by inhalation toxicants using systems biology tools. She is a proponent of Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) thinking in day-to-day research and has developed nanomaterial-relevant AOPs, supporting the potential development of animal reductive testing strategies for hazard and risk assessment of nanomaterials. She serves on the Science Advisory Board of many European nanotoxicology consortia and has been an active contributor to the AOP and nanotoxicology research initiatives led by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
 

Raymond Briñas, Ph.D., Review Chemist in the Division of Food Contact Substances (DFCS), Office of Food additive Safety (OFAS), Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), FDA

Talk Title: Safety Evaluation of Food Contact Substances Containing Nanomaterials

Dr. Raymond Briñas, Ph.D., has been a Review Chemist in the Division of Food Contact Substances (DFCS), Office of Food additive Safety (OFAS), Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), FDA since 2015. Dr. Briñas’s regulatory review experience encompasses the safety evaluation of food contact substances, medical devices, and bioengineered foods. In addition, he serves as OFAS’s nanotechnology subject matter expert and as OFAS’s representative to FDA’s Nanotechnology Task Force (NTF).

Prior to joining the FDA, Dr. Briñas was involved in various aspects of nanotechnology research, including oxygen nano-sensor development for imaging applications (University of Pennsylvania), site-specific labeling of proteins using gold nanoparticles for structural biology applications (Brookhaven National Laboratory), and cancer vaccine development using gold nanoparticle scaffold (National Cancer Institute). Dr. Briñas is a synthetic organic chemist by training and holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Connecticut.

Timothy Duncan, Ph.D., Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), FDA
 
Talk Title: The migration of engineered nanomaterials out of nanotechnology-enabled polymers and into foods

Timothy V Duncan, Ph.D., received his undergraduate degree in chemistry in 2000 from Haverford College, located just outside of Philadelphia. He attained his Ph.D. in physical/inorganic chemistry in 2006 from the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied electronic materials for medical diagnostic and optoelectronic applications under Professor Michael J. Therien.

After graduation, he completed a post-doc at the University of Pennsylvania with Professor So-Jung Park, which focused on single-molecule spectroscopy, novel bio-imaging agents, and color-tunable luminescent polymers. Since 2009 he has been a research scientist and primary investigator at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Division of Food Processing Science and Technology, where he studies the health and environmental safety of nanotechnology-enabled food contact materials and develops nanosensors intended to improve the Agency’s ability to rapidly respond to foodborne disease outbreak.

Maria Rubino, Ph.D., Professor, School of Packaging, Michigan State University

Talk Title: Including functional nanoparticles for the implementation of active surfaces

Maria Rubino, Ph.D., is a Professor in the School of Packaging and has been at Michigan State University since 2004. Before her academic career, she also spent over 15 years in industry as a scientist for chemical and food companies.  Her research is focused on the mass transfer of vapors, gases and additives from nanocomposite materials, and on developing packaging strategies such as active surfaces that will contribute to the overall safety of food and pharmaceutical products. Maria teaches courses on packaging permeability, shelf life, and application of instrumental analysis for packaging material characterization and performance. 

Her research interested include the characterization of nanocomposite and solvent interaction; mass transfer of nanoparticles and by-products; and development of active surfaces using nanotechnology, for applications in active packaging. 

Session Two: Contaminants and Chemical Hazards in Packaging
 

Olivier Jolliet, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan
 
Talk Title: High Throughput Risk Screening of chemicals in packaging and food contact materials.

Olivier Jolliet, Ph.D., is a Full Professor in life cycle impact and risk modeling at the Department of Environmental Health Sciences in the School of Public Health, University of Michigan. He co-initiated the UNEP (United Nation Environment Program)/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative and is one of the developers of USEtox, the UNEP-SETAC model for the comparative assessment of chemicals. His teaching and research aim to a) compare the life cycle risks and benefits of chemicals in consumer products, foods and emerging technologies; and b) model and screen population exposure, intake fractions and pharmacokinetics of emerging chemicals.

Dr. Jolliet has authored or co-authored 220 peer-reviewed publications or book chapters. He has given more than 40 LCA-related master courses and 20 short courses for professionals, and he has been a primary advisor for 19 PhD students and more than 50 Master’s students.
 

Karen Hagerman, MS, Sustainable Packaging Coalition
 
Talk Title: Sustainable Packaging: Toward Safe and Circular Materials

Karen Hagerman, MS, is a Senior Manager at GreenBlue, an environmental nonprofit dedicated to the sustainable use of materials in society and the parent organization of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC). Through her work on SPC Collaboratives, Karen brings together members of the packaging value chain to address critical issues within packaging sustainability. Prior to joining GreenBlue, Karen worked in operations and program management as a CH-53E Helicopter Pilot in the United States Marine Corps. Karen holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Aerospace Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and a Master’s Degree in Sustainable Engineering from Villanova University.

Jeffery Keithline Esq., Partner, Keller and Heckman LLC
 
Talk Title: A Focus on the Impurities (NIAS) Assessment in Food Contact Notifications

Jeffery Keithline, Esq., practices in the area of food and drug law.

Jeff assists companies in establishing the suitable regulatory status of their products under the requirements of various federal agencies including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Jeff also assists clients with compliance issues under state and local requirements relating to the manufacture, labeling and disposal of products and packaging, including toxics in packaging, legislation and various state right-to-know acts. In addition, He advises clients regarding the requirements for these products throughout the world, especially in Canada, Mexico, the European Union, Central and South America, and the Pacific Rim.

Communication Presentation
 

Katya Hantel, MS., Senior Director of Sustainability, ConAgra
 
Talk Title: How to Talk About Science so People Will Listen

Katya Hantel, MS., is sr. director of sustainability for Conagra Brands, where she works to integrate sustainability across the company’s portfolio of leading frozen food, snacks and grocery brands such as Healthy Choice, Birds Eye, Orville Redenbacher and Swiss Miss. She has spent nearly 20 years developing sustainable business strategies and communications for global organizations in the for- and non-profit sector. Katya holds a master’s degree in environmental management from Duke University, and an undergraduate degree in environmental policy from Washington University in St. Louis. She is author of a book on effective climate change communications in the U.S. as part of the St. James' Studies in World Affairs series from Academica Press.

Agenda 

Session I:  Nano Materials in Packaging                  

• 9:00 a.m. – Introduction to Session – Norb Kaminski
• 9:10 a.m. – “Nanomaterials Safety Assessment: Challenges and Opportunities” – Sabina Halappanavar (Health Canada and University of Ottawa)
• 9:45 a.m. – “Safety Evaluation of Food Contact Substances Containing Nanomaterials” – Raymond Brinãs (Food and Drug Administration)
• 10:20 a.m. – Break – Atrium (A150)
• 10:35 a.m. – “The Migration of Engineered Nanomaterials out of Nanotechnology-Enabled Polymers and into Foods” – Timothy Duncan (Food and Drug Administration)
• 11:10 a.m. – “Including Functional Nanoparticles for the Implementation of Active Surfaces” - Maria Rubino (Michigan State University)
• 11:45 a.m. – Lunch/Networking – Atrium (A150)

Session II:  Science Communication

• 1:00 p.m. – Introduction to Session – Elisabeth Anderson         
• 1:10 p.m. – “How to Talk About Science so People Will Listen” - Katya Hantel (ConAgra)

Session III:  Contaminants and Chemical Hazards in Packaging

• 1:30 p.m. – Introduction to Session – Leon Bruner
• 1:40 p.m. –“High Throughput Risk Screening of Chemicals in Packaging and Food Contact Materials” - Olivier Jolliet (University of Michigan)
• 2:15 p.m. – Break
• 2:35 p.m. – “A Focus on the Impurities (NIAS) Assessment in Food Contact Notifications” – Devon Hill (Keller and Heckman)
• 3:10 p.m. – “Sustainable Packaging: Toward Safe and Circular Materials” – Karen Hagerman (Sustainable Packaging Coalition)
• 3:45 p.m. – Closing Comments – Norb Kaminski
• 4:00 p.m. – Adjourn