Are Everyday Foods Hiding Dangerous Chemicals? Discover the Shocking Truth!

Study Reveals 3,600 plus Food Contact Chemicals in Humans and Highlights Safety Gaps

food contact chemicals human exposure study

A recent examination has revealed the extensive prevalence of food contact chemicals (FCCs) within the human organism, pinpointing a total of 3,601 distinct chemicals utilized in food packaging and associated products that have been identified in human tissues. The investigation further highlights significant inadequacies in both biomonitoring practices and the accessibility of toxicity data.

Published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, this study delves into the pervasive exposure of humans to FCCs. It meticulously catalogs which chemicals found in food packaging and other food-contact materials have been detected in human biological samples, such as urine, blood, and breast milk.

Moreover, the study illuminates critical deficiencies in biomonitoring protocols and the availability of relevant toxicity data. The findings are accessible via the FCChumon database, an interactive resource developed by the Food Packaging Forum in collaboration with four academic institutions.

food contact chemicals human exposure study: Research Methodology and Findings

Utilizing a systematic methodology, the authors juxtaposed over 14,000 known FCCs against data from five human biomonitoring programs, three metabolome/exposome databases, and various scientific literature. This analysis uncovered the presence of 3,601 FCCs in humans, accounting for 25% of all recognized FCCs.

Dr. Birgit Geueke, the lead author, underscores the significance of this research: “Our findings establish a crucial connection between food contact chemicals, exposure, and human health. It also draws attention to those chemicals that have been largely neglected in previous biomonitoring endeavors, presenting an invaluable opportunity for health prevention and protection.”

Particular categories of chemicals, including bisphenols, PFAS, phthalates, metals, and volatile organic compounds, have been widely detected in both human samples and food contact materials (FCMs). Numerous substances within this group possess hazardous characteristics and have been associated with adverse health effects.

Dr. Jane Muncke, the senior author, expresses alarm regarding this pervasive exposure: “This study emphasizes that food contact materials cannot be deemed entirely safe, even when they comply with existing regulations, as they can transfer known hazardous substances into the human body. We aspire for this new evidence base to inform improvements in the safety of food contact materials—enhancing both regulations and the development of safer alternatives.”

Furthermore, knowledge regarding other chemicals migrating from packaging into food, such as synthetic antioxidants and oligomers, remains scant. Dr. Ksenia Groh from the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology highlights this gap: “Our research reveals that antioxidants, despite their extensive production and ubiquitous application in plastics, are predominantly absent from monitoring programs. Information regarding their metabolism, fate, and effects is generally lacking.”

The Urgency for Safer Materials

The study also indicates that the potential hazards associated with many chemicals have yet to be thoroughly investigated. While food packaging is not the sole source of exposure, the findings will enhance comprehension of how food contact materials contribute to human exposure. The actual number of FCCs present in humans is likely underestimated, as only a limited subset of FCCs was scrutinized in depth.

Prof. Dr. Martin Scheringer, co-author from ETH Zürich, emphasizes the pressing nature of this issue: “There exists a surprising quantity of hazardous chemicals in food contact materials, many of which infiltrate the human body. This is troubling and underscores the need for safer, more straightforward food contact materials.”

The results are intended to assist researchers in identifying crucial knowledge gaps regarding human exposure to FCCs and to better comprehend the health ramifications of these chemicals.

As co-author Olwenn Martin from University College London remarks, “We were already aware that problematic substances in food packaging extend beyond well-known chemicals like bisphenols and phthalates; however, we were astonished by the sheer number of food contact chemicals for which evidence of human exposure has been documented. This indicates a pressing need for further research into the toxicity and exposure of numerous chemicals, as well as the regulations governing their use in food packaging.”

Reference

“Evidence for widespread human exposure to food contact chemicals” by Birgit Geueke et al., September 17, 2024, Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology. DOI: 10.1038/s41370-024-00718-2

All data is readily accessible and can be navigated through the accompanying Database on Food Contact Chemicals Monitored in Humans (FCChumon), which builds upon the previously established Food Contact Chemicals Database (FCCdb) and Database on Migrating and Extractable Food Contact Chemicals (FCCmigex). This initiative is part of the Food Contact Chemicals & Human Health (FCCH) project.

The study received funding from the Adessium Foundation, MAVA Foundation, Sympany Stiftung, and Minerva Stiftung.