175 hazardous substances in food packaging

A STUDY released by the Food Packaging Forum reveals the presence of 175 harmful chemicals in food packaging. These are substances that are legally used in the manufacture of food contact materials (FCM) in Europe and the United States.

The materials were identified by comparing two inventories of hazardous chemicals, namely the Substitute it Now! list and the TEDX list of endocrine disruptors to publically available databases of food contact substances.  Many FCMs can migrate to food during production, handling and storage. Chronic exposure to certain FCMs may lead to metabolic and reproductive disorders as well as cancers. Some substances were also found to be endocrine disruptors, or interfere with the hormone system, whilst another group of chemicals is considered persistent and bioaccumulative.

The study recommends further harmonisation amongst legal bodies, and manufacturers are advised to avoid hazardous substances in FCMs and “fill the data gaps to ensure product safety, and include testing of substances during R&D stage.

The scientific study, “Food contact substances and chemicals of concern: A comparison of inventories” was published on 7 July 2014 in Food Additives and Contaminants, Part A, a peer-reviewed scientific journal.