Study Finds 200 Potential Mammary Carcinogens in Food Contact Materials

A recent study uncovers nearly 200 potential mammary carcinogens in food contact materials, raising concerns about their safety. The findings highlight gaps in regulatory oversight, calling for stricter safety measures and more comprehensive evaluations of chemicals used in packaging and other materials that come into contact with food. The research suggests a need for urgent action to better protect public health.

Researchers from the Food Packaging Forum have identified and discussed nearly 200 potential breast carcinogens detected in food contact materials (FCMs) available on the market. Many countries have legislation governing food contact materials aimed at protecting people from hazardous chemicals, often specifically regulating genotoxic carcinogens. Since cancer is one of the few health outcomes directly targeted by FCM regulations and testing, carcinogenic chemicals in food packaging and other materials should not be prevalent.

Jane Muncke, Managing Director of the Food Packaging Forum and co-author of the study, emphasized the importance of this research, stating, "This study is significant because it reveals a major opportunity to prevent human exposure to breast cancer-causing chemicals." Muncke further noted that the potential for cancer prevention by reducing hazardous chemicals in everyday life is under-researched and deserves much more attention.

The authors compared a recently published list of potential breast carcinogens developed by scientists at the Silent Spring Institute with the Food Packaging Forum's Database on migrating and extractable food contact chemicals (FCCmigex). They found that 189 potential breast carcinogens were detected in FCMs, including 143 in plastics and 89 in paper or board. Lindsey Parkinson, Data Scientist and Scientific Editor at the Food Packaging Forum and lead author of the study, explained that identifying the presence of these hazardous chemicals in food contact materials was possible thanks to the FCCmigex Database. Parkinson noted that this resource compiles valuable information from thousands of scientific studies on chemicals in food contact materials into a single, easily accessible platform.

When the comparison was limited to the most recent studies in FCCmigex (2020-2022) using migration experiments simulating realistic conditions, evidence was found of exposure to 76 suspected mammary carcinogens from FCMs purchased worldwide, with 61 (80%) coming from plastics. This suggests that the global population continues to be exposed to these chemicals under typical usage conditions.

Despite existing regulations aimed at limiting carcinogenic substances in FCMs, the study exposes gaps in current regulatory frameworks. The food contact items analyzed were purchased in recent years from markets in highly regulated regions such as the EU and the US. The authors concluded that chronic exposure to suspected mammary carcinogens from FCMs is widespread and highlights an important, yet overlooked, opportunity for prevention.

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Source:worldpharmanews‍