Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Chemistry, University of York, UK, 2003
  • M.Chem., Chemistry, University of York, UK, 1999
Professional Affiliations
  • Member of UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) Food Contact Material Joint Expert Group, 2025-Present

Malcolm Driffield, Ph.D., is a senior managing scientist in Exponent's Chemical Regulation and Food Safety practice with over 25 years of experience in analytical chemistry, food contact materials, and chemical regulatory compliance. He leads the EU/UK Food Safety Team and advises food manufacturers, packaging producers, and regulatory affairs teams on food contact material safety, non-intentionally added substances (NIAS), and EU/UK packaging regulations, with particular experience in non-targeted analysis and regulatory submissions for new substances. 

Areas of Expertise

  • Food packaging and food contact materials
  • Regulatory submissions and compliance
  • Analytical chemistry and non-targeted analysis
  • Non-intentionally added substances (NIAS)
  • Packaging and Packaging Waster Regulation (PPWR)

Industries Serviced

  • Chemical Industry
  • Packaging and food contact material Industry
  • Packaging manufacturers, converters, and packers
  • Food manufacturers
  • Brand owners and retailers
  • Marine

Food Contact Materials 

Dr. Driffield helps clients navigate the complex and rapidly evolving regulatory landscape governing food contact materials (FCMs): the plastics, coatings, printing inks, and other materials that come into direct contact with food and beverages. He advises manufacturers, brand owners, and legal and regulatory teams on compliance with legislation such as Commission Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 on materials and articles intended to come into contact with food, Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011 on plastic food contact materials, UK FCM legislation, and applicable national measures across EU Member States. His work spans migration testing and interpretation of results, compliance documentation, and technical assessments of whether a material or article meets applicable specific migration limits (SMLs), overall migration limits (OMLs), or other restrictions. Although based in the UK, he has also provided expert support on legislation in other jurisdictions including the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand, South America, and China.

Dr. Driffield also advises clients on bio-based and recycled food contact materials, including the compliance challenges associated with recycled plastics and recycled paper and board, areas of growing commercial and regulatory importance as the industry transitions toward more sustainable packaging solutions. 

Regulatory Submissions & Compliance 

Dr. Driffield supports clients seeking regulatory approval for new substances intended for use in food contact materials, food additives, and colour additives. He prepares and reviews technical dossiers for submission to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and other global authorities, helping to ensure that submissions meet the scientific and data requirements set out in applicable guidance documents. 

He also advises clients on complex compliance questions, helping companies understand how their products, formulations, or materials fit within current regulatory frameworks and identify gaps or risks before they become enforcement issues. His membership on the UK FSA Food Contact Material Joint Expert Group (2025-present) keeps him at the forefront of regulatory developments in this space. 

Analytical Chemistry & Non-Targeted Analysis 

Dr. Driffield brings more than 25 years of hands-on laboratory and interpretive expertise in analytical chemistry, with particular specialization in non-targeted analysis (NTA), the use of high-resolution mass spectrometry and related techniques to detect, identify, and quantify unknown or unexpected chemical substances in complex matrices. He applies these methods to food, food packaging, environmental samples, fuels, polymers, and pharmaceutical materials. 

His analytical toolkit includes experience with liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS), gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS), time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS), atmospheric solids analysis probe (ASAP), and other techniques used to characterise samples. He has extensive experience designing analytical testing programs, interpreting complex datasets, and translating technical findings into clear, actionable guidance for industrial and regulatory clients. 

This experience has allowed Dr Driffield to act as study monitor for complex analytical testing procedures and to participate in witnessed analysis for food and marine fuel arbitration cases.

Non-Intentionally Added Substances 

Non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) — chemicals present in food contact materials that were not deliberately added but arise from reactions, degradation, or impurities during manufacturing — represent one of the most technically demanding areas of FCM compliance. Dr. Driffield is a recognized authority in this field, having built his NIAS expertise over more than 15 years at a UK government laboratory before joining Exponent. 

He assists clients with all aspects of NIAS determination: designing fit-for-purpose analytical testing strategies, applying non-targeted screening methods to identify unknown substances, quantifying NIAS against relevant thresholds, assessing toxicological concern using threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) approaches, and tracing the origin of identified substances back to raw materials or process steps. His published research and frequent invited presentations at international FCM conferences reflect his standing as a leading practitioner in this area. 

Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation 

Regulation (EU) 2025/40 — the so-called Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) — represents one of the most significant regulatory developments affecting the packaging industry in recent years, introducing new requirements on recyclability, recycled content, and the presence of substances of concern in packaging such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Dr. Driffield advises the chemical industry as well as packaging manufacturers, brand owners, and retailers on what PPWR means for their products and supply chains, helping clients assess compliance obligations, identify substances of concern, and develop strategies for meeting the regulation's requirements. 

His work in this area connects directly to his FCM and NIAS expertise: understanding which substances are present in packaging materials, whether intentionally added or not, is foundational to demonstrating compliance with PPWR and related sustainability-driven regulatory requirements across the EU and UK.