Food Protection Agency Sets Maximum Levels for Chemical Intake
Published: 8 February 2007
Category: Packaging CONCERNS
According to Food Quality News, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reevaluated food contact materials for their effects on human health. According to the article, “EU legislation requires that all materials that come into contact with food comply with health standards so that safe food remains safe. The main problem stems from chemicals that can migrate from the packaging to the foods they contain.” Reports have recently surfaced linking plastics chemicals (that allegedly have the capacity to leach out of such containers into the product contained) to human health ailments such as cancer and reproductive disorders. According to the article, the EFSA has set migration limits on several plastics chemicals such as synthetic polyethylene-based chemicals and has set up a reference laboratory to test food contact materials across the EU.