Chemicals in your food from packaging

Posted on Sat, 29 Aug 15

All food packaging including plastic, cardboard, metal, glass and ceramics can harbour potentially toxic chemicals that migrate into food.

A recent editorial in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives reviews current challenges to reducing chemical migration from food packaging into food contents.

You may not give it much thought, but the migration of the chemicals found in food packaging is well documented and occurs in plastic, glass, paper and metal packaging.

Image: Packaging Pathways

A number of these chemicals have been linked to important health effects, with bisphenyl A (BPA) one of the best-known examples. But even BPA-free packaging may simply use problematic alternatives. 

Currently no packaging is perfect, but consumer demand for chemical-free packaging is growing and the food industry, research institutions and non-government groups are making some progress. Read the full article here.

Reference:

Seltenrich, N. A Hard Nut to Crack: Reducing Chemical Migration in Food-Contact Materials. Environ Health Perspect; DOI:10.1289/ehp.123-A174