Scientific Asia: A recent assessment, which identified 3,601 chemicals used in food packaging and other food contact products to be present in human bodies, is the first to show the amount of human exposure to food contact chemicals (FCC). According to the authors, this research also reveals important discrepancies in toxicity and biomonitoring data.
Researchers have documented the extensive human exposure to food contact chemicals (FCCs) in a new study that was published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology. The study shows which compounds have been detected in human tissues like blood, urine, and breast milk. These chemicals are utilized in food packaging and other food contact materials.
It also draws attention to important gaps in toxicity and biomonitoring data. The FCChumon database, an interactive tool, houses the data that was gathered by a group of researchers from the Food Packaging Forum and four other academic institutions.
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The scientists employed a methodical technique to examine information from three metabolome/exposome databases, five human biomonitoring programs, and the scientific literature with over 14,000 known FCCs. This demonstrated that 3,601 FCCs, or 25% of all known FCCs, are present in humans.
“Our research establishes a link between food contact chemicals, exposure, and human health,” says study co-author Dr. Birgit Geueke. It draws attention to the substances that have hitherto been disregarded in biomonitoring research. Additionally, it draws attention to a significant chance for health protection and prevention.”
Bisphenols, PFAS, phthalates, metals, and volatile organic compounds are only a few of the chemical groups that have been found in large quantities in human samples and food contact materials (FCMs). Numerous of these substances are known to be harmful to human health and have dangerous qualities that should be taken seriously.
“This work highlights the fact that food contact materials are not fully safe, even though they may comply with regulations, because they transfer known hazardous chemicals into people,” co-author Dr. Jane Muncke expressed concern about the widespread exposure. We want to use this new body of knowledge to improve the safety of materials that come into contact with food, both in terms of legislation and in the creation of safer substitutes.”
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On the other hand, nothing is known about the presence and fate of other compounds, like synthetic antioxidants and oligomers, that seep into food from the packaging. Regarding this knowledge gap, Dr. Ksenia Groh of the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology says, “Our work underlines that antioxidants are mainly absent from monitoring programs, despite their high production volumes and extensive application in plastics. There is typically little information available regarding the metabolism, destiny, and effects of these drugs.”
Furthermore, the investigation made clear that the possible risks associated with numerous substances have not been well explored. The information from this study will help us better understand how materials that come into contact with food affect human exposure, even if food packaging is not the main source of exposure. Since just a portion of FCCs were thoroughly examined, there may be more FCCs in humans than have been found so far.
Co-author Prof. Dr. Martin Scheringer of ETH Zürich states, “A surprising number of hazardous chemicals are used in food contact materials, and quite a few of them reach, to some extent, the human body.” This is alarming because it’s obvious that simpler and safer materials should be used in food contact situations.”
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With the use of these findings, researchers hope to close significant knowledge gaps about human exposure to FCCs and gain a better understanding of the harmful consequences of these compounds on human health. According to Dr. Geueke, “Our research helps to establish the link between food contact chemicals and human exposure, highlights chemicals that are overlooked in biomonitoring studies, and supports research into safer food contact materials.”
The Database on Food Contact Chemicals Monitored in Humans (FCChumon), which goes along with it, makes it simple to access and review all the data. The Food Contact Chemicals Database (FCCdb) and the Database on Migrating and Extractable Food Contact Chemicals (FCCmigex), which were previously released, are expanded upon by FCChumon. The Food Contact Chemicals & Human Health (FCCH) project is the focus of this work.
