Safety and regulatory aspects of plastics as food packaging materials

Abstract

Polymeric materials are used extensively in food packaging. In addition to the basic polymers, plastics also contain additives added in small quantities to alter the properties of the polymers in the desired way and simplify their processing. These additives along with low-molecular-weight non-polymeric components, which may remain in plastic packaging materials, possess high mobility. It is likely that some transfer of these low-molecular-weight non-polymeric components will occur from the plastic packaging material into the packaged content, thereby contaminating the product with the risk of toxic hazard to the consumer. This chapter reviews guidelines for proper use of plastics for food packaging applications and discusses the specific migration of some of the toxic additives like acetaldehyde, terephthalic acid, methyl ethyl glycol and bisphenol-A. Nanocomposites are also used in food packaging materials. There are many safety concerns about nanomaterials, as their size may allow them to penetrate into cells and eventually remain in the system. Manufacturers have to follow good manufacturing practice using only the additives listed in the positive list. Prior to categorizing such plastics as toxic, evidence regarding degree of migration of their constituents has to be ascertained. In general, migration and extraction studies need to be simultaneously conducted on actual foodstuffs under conditions that are slightly more stringent than those encountered in normal usage. Hence, for good measure, the overall migration of all the migrants put together is considered for safe use, unless they are especially toxic and their specific limits are fixed by the regulatory authorities such as: Bureau of Indian Standards, the European Commission Directives, and the Code of Federal Regulations of the US Food and Drug Administration.