A recent work reveals worrying evidence of extensive human exposure to substances, particularly those found in food packaging, based on a report published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology. A research conducted by Birgit Geueke and others attempts to document the status and trends of food contact substances chemistry and toxins that have been used in a wide range of human biomonitoring studies.
Key Findings:
- From the studies done, 3,601 (25%) of the more than 14000 certified human FCCs are estimated to impact human health.
- Major biomonitoring initiatives have detected 194 FCCs of which 80 possess high concern hazard properties.
- The research revealed the existence of scientific knowledge deficits, with little or lacking sufficient scientific data on most of the FCCs.
Why This Matters:
People experience a high level of chemical exposure from food packaging and other articles coming into contact with the food. Many such chemicals are toxic and have been linked to a variety of health problems, including endocrine disruption, cancer, and developmental problems. Therefore, this study stresses that in order to ensure the safety of food contact varieties better and more efficient controls are required.
Chemical Groups of Concern:
Several chemical groups were the most prominent features in the food contact materials and in the human samples, the researchers stated:
- Phthalates and alternative plasticizers
- Heavy metals
- Volatile organic compounds (voc)
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
- Phenolic compounds including bisphenols
Also not only these substances but also the less investigated ones such as antioxidants, oligomers and photoinitiators used in food packaging also raised concern in the course of the research.
Implications for Public Health:
This research underscores the need for:
- Biomonitoring of food contact chemicals in general populations including all levels of FCC exposure degree
- Hazard assessment of food contact chemicals
- Strict restrictions over the application of harmful substances in food packaging materials
- Creation of food contact materials of low exposure risk
The research findings were made available to the public by the authors via an interactive database called FCChumon, which can potentially assist decision-makers, researchers and the industry in the determination of food safety.
Conclusion:
As consumers ourselves, we often presume that the food containment in the packaging is the safest thing. This particular study should act as a notice, letting one know that the factors surrounding food matter more sometimes than the food itself. It is obvious that more needs to be done so as to ensure that materials that have been used to package or process food will not be harmful to human health.
