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Food & Chemicals Unpacked

Mark Thompson and Katie Skaggs

Business

Latest episode

21 episodes

Year in Review: Fare Thee Well 2025
03/2/2026 | 24 mins.
What a long, strange trip it’s been for the industry this last year. In this episode, hosts Mark and Katie take a high-level look at the regulatory shifts that have shaped food and packaging in the last year, from FDA leadership changes and evolving approaches to food additives, GRAS, and ultra-processed foods, to rising state-level action on EPR, PFAS, and color additives. We also cover major global developments, including the EU’s new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and key updates to China’s food contact standards. Join us as we take a Grateful look back on the milestones of a transformative year and what Weir looking out for on the horizon.
Packaging as a Consumer Product - When It's Not Just What's Inside That Counts
23/12/2025 | 41 mins.
In this episode, Partner Sheila Millar, Counsel Antonia Stamenova-Dancheva, and Associate Anushka Stein join our hosts to break down the complex world of packaging regulations for consumer products. From identifying which types of packaging fall under federal scrutiny to preparing for major upcoming changes like CPSC eFiling in 2026, we dive into essentials for producers and importers.

We explore the specific laws that govern safety, including the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) and the Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA), and analyze real-world recall examples involving physical hazards, lead limits, and child-resistant closures.
Ultra-Processed Foods (UPF): What Are We Even Talking About?
29/10/2025 | 28 mins.
In this episode of Food & Chemicals Unpacked, we’re joined by Dave Fusaro, Editor in Chief of Food Processing magazine, to unpack the growing debate over ultra-processed foods (UPFs). We discuss Mark Thompson's article, "Ultraprocessed Foods: What Are We Even Talking About?" along with recent regulatory and legislative developments, including the FDA’s request for information on UPFs, state-level actions such as California’s AB 1264, and ongoing efforts to define what “ultra-processed” really means.
EPR You Keeping Up with Extended Producer Responsibility?
27/8/2025 | 27 mins.
In this episode of Food and Chemicals Unpacked, we revisit Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging, now rapidly advancing with deadlines approaching. Keller and Heckman Partner Rachel Bond returns to share updates on state implementation, reporting requirements, a legal challenge, and the latest legislative developments, including new study bills and growing momentum across the U.S.
Color Me Bad: The Push to Remove Color Additives from Food
10/6/2025 | 37 mins.
In this episode, Keller & Heckman LLP Partner Eve Pelonis joins us to dive deep into the colorful world of color additives for food, drugs, and cosmetics, clearing up common misconceptions. We touch on important issues, including whether the GRAS exemption is applicable to color additives, and the recent attention on synthetic color additives by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the new administration's push for natural alternatives.

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About Food & Chemicals Unpacked

Food & Chemicals Unpacked is your go-to podcast for hot topics impacting the food and chemical industry. Join our hosts, Keller and Heckman Partners Mark Thompson and Katie Skaggs, as they provide a bird’s eye view of the emerging legal and scientific issues surrounding the food, chemical, packaging, and related consumer product industries in an easily digestible and accessible format. Food & Chemicals Unpacked provides clear and concise updates on legislative developments, new regulations, and other non-governmental initiatives that impact these industries. Each episode will present critical information on these topics along with supporting resources from Keller and Heckman’s website blogs, including Packaginglaw.com, The Daily Intake (our food blog), and The Continuum of Risk (our tobacco and e-vapor blog).

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Business