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Impacts of food contact chemicals on human health
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Research on Chemical Intermediates publishes current research articles and concise
dynamic reviews on the properties, structures and reactivities of intermediate species in
all the various domains of chemistry.
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The journal also contains articles in related disciplines such as spectroscopy,
molecular biology and biochemistry, atmospheric and environmental sciences, catalysis,
photochemistry and photophysics. In addition, special issues dedicated to specific topics
in the field are regularly published.
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Food packaging is of high societal value because it conserves and protects food, makes
food transportable and conveys information to consumers. It is also relevant for
marketing, which is of economic significance. Other types of food contact articles, such
as storage containers, processing equipment and filling lines, are also important for food
production and food supply. Food contact articles are made up of one or multiple different
food contact materials and consist of <a href="http://www.hsppharma.com/apis-and-
intermediates/" target="_self">APIs and Intermediates</a>. However, food contact chemicals
transfer from all types of food contact materials and articles into food and,
consequently, are taken up by humans. Here we highlight topics of concern based on
scientific findings showing that food contact materials and articles are a relevant
exposure pathway for known hazardous substances as well as for a plethora of
toxicologically uncharacterized chemicals, both intentionally and non-intentionally added.
We describe areas of certainty, like the fact that chemicals migrate from food contact
articles into food, and uncertainty, for example unidentified chemicals migrating into
food. Current safety assessment of food contact chemicals is ineffective at protecting
human health. In addition, society is striving for waste reduction with a focus on food
packaging. As a result, solutions are being developed toward reuse, recycling or
alternative (non-plastic) materials. However, the critical aspect of chemical safety is
often ignored. Developing solutions for improving the safety of food contact chemicals and
for tackling the circular economy must include current scientific knowledge. This cannot
be done in isolation but must include all relevant experts and stakeholders. Therefore, we
provide an overview of areas of concern and related activities that will improve the
safety of food contact articles and support a circular economy. Our aim is to initiate a
broader discussion involving scientists with relevant expertise but not currently working
on food contact materials, and decision makers and influencers addressing single-use food
packaging due to environmental concerns. Ultimately, we aim to support science-based
decision making in the interest of improving public health. Notably, reducing exposure to
hazardous food contact chemicals contributes to the prevention of associated chronic
diseases in the human population.
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We, as scientists working on developmental biology, endocrinology, epidemiology,
toxicology, and environmental and public health, are concerned that public health is
currently insufficiently protected from harmful exposures to food contact chemicals
(FCCs). Importantly, exposures to harmful FCCs are avoidable. Therefore, we consider it
our responsibility to bring this issue to the attention of fellow scientists with relevant
expertise, but currently not engaged in the area of FCMs, as well as decision makers and
influencers in government, industry and civil society dealing with environmental and
health-related aspects of food packaging. We propose that a broader, multi-stakeholder
dialogue is initiated on this topic and that the issue of chemical safety of food
packaging becomes a central aspect in the discussions on sustainable packaging.
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Food contact chemicals (FCCs) are the chemical constituents of food contact materials
and finished food contact articles, including food packaging, food storage containers,
food processing equipment, and kitchen- and tableware [1, 2]. We define FCCs as all the
chemical species present in food contact articles, regardless of whether they are
intentionally added or present for other reasons.
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It is clearly established by empirical data that FCCs can migrate from food contact
materials and articles into food, indicating a high probability that a large majority of
the human population is exposed to some or many of <a
href="http://www.hsppharma.com/coenzymes-and-nucleotides-series/" target="_self">coenzymes
and nucleotides series</a> [3]. Indeed, for some FCCs there is evidence for human exposure
from biomonitoring [4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11], although some FCCs may have multiple uses and also
non-food contact exposure pathways.
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