PACKAGING–FOOD INTERACTION AND CHEMICAL MIGRATION

Abstract

"Food packaging is intended to protect food and extend its shelf life, but it may affect food quality and safety because of chemical migration. Food quality and safety regarding packaging is a significant global concern. Legislations have an essential role in providing regulatory guidance on quality assurance systems and verifying their implementation as a means of regulatory compliance. The large number of various materials used in the manufacture of packages complicates the evaluation of food–packaging interactions. This review is an overview of literature data on the effects of printed food packaging on the migration of chemicals into foods, as well as on various migration sources of chemical compounds. Various aspects, such as the interaction between packaging and food starting with the production process of food packaging to food–packaging contact during storage, the effects of primary and secondary packaging on chemical migration, permeability of packaging materials, inkinduced migration in printed packaging, and types of transition from packaging to food, were examined in detail. Besides, studies on subjects such as the food contact materials analysis used to test the phenomenon of migration in foods and migration limits have been discussed. Moreover, studies on the use of recycled paper in packaging and its effect on migration, ink chemicals resulting from recycling and studies on this subject are included. Information is given on measures to reduce the effect of migration, low migration of printing inks, coatings and adhesives, and materials used in barrier applications. In line with this research study, suggestions were made for measures to reduce the harmful effects of chemical migration on human health and to prevent the risk of migration from packaging to food."