Thousands of chemicals are used in manufacturing of food packaging materials, but only a fraction of them are regulated and effectively controlled. Some food packaging chemicals studied to date, such as bisphenol A and some phthalates, are known to cause negative health effects. But for thousands of others, information on their identity, potential migration into foods and effect on human health is lacking. To fill these knowledge gaps, novel analytical methods are needed for identification, characterization and detection of chemicals potentially migrating from food packaging materials into foods. Non-targeted analysis with high-resolution accurate mass techniques is advantageous for these purposes. There are myriads of food packaging materials, different and extremely complex in their composition. They may contain polymers, added chemicals to achieve desired properties, and non-intentionally added substances (chemical impurities, chemicals formed during degradation and/or reaction of added chemicals). Recycled paper products are a special category as they may contain other chemicals inherited from the paper products they were made from. The most important food safety questions are: do these chemicals migrate into foods, and do they have any potential health effects? To answer these questions, migration studies are needed, which are conducted with approved food simulants. However, it is not always possible to conduct migration studies for thousands of chemicals, thus some modeling migration studies are emerging. To measure the amounts of migrating food packaging chemicals, developed and validated analytical techniques are needed. The information on their occurrence and levels in packaged foods is crucial to calculate daily intake and to provide a science-based foundation for the development of risk management strategies. At this point, however, we have more questions than answers, and this presentation is intended to summarize the current state of knowledge on chemicals in food packaging materials.<br/>

What do we know about chemicals in food packaging materials?

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.