Packaging
Today it is increasingly unusual for food not to have some form of packaging, and as well as packaging food comes into contact with a wide variety of surfaces – for example, utensils in the home, conveyor belts in food manufacture, and boxes and vehicles when it is distributed around the country.
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Adhesives
We often see sticky labels on fruit and vegetables. These labels usually provide information on the country that the fruit or vegetable comes from, and the type of fruit, such as a Granny Smith apple.
Aluminium
Aluminium can be present naturally in food and it is sometimes added during processing. But aluminium can also pass into food from cookware and packaging.
Bisphenol-A (BPA)
The resins that are used to coat the insides of some food cans contain the chemical bisphenol-A. This coating allows canned food to be heated to kill off bacteria without the metal in the can contaminating the food contents.
Cling film
Is cling film safe to use and should you avoid using it in certain situations? Find out more.
Phthalates
Phthalates are a group of chemicals called phthalic acid diesters. They have a variety of industrial uses and are found in lubricating oils and a wide range of household and consumer goods. In food packaging, phthalate use is limited, mainly to the manufacture of materials such as adhesives and some printing inks.
Plastics
Regulations on plastic materials and articles apply to those that consist exclusively of plastics, or that are made up of two or more layers of plastic material bound together by adhesives or any other means. In their finished state, these plastics must be intended to be brought into contact with food.
Re-using packaging
Many people re-use the containers that their food comes in, or the wrapping around it. Some re-uses of food packaging may be perfectly safe, but often packaging is designed to be used once with one food and it might not be safe to use it with others, or for a different purpose.
Working Party on Food Contact Materials
The Working Party on Materials and Articles in Contact with Food of Drink (WPFCM) advises the Agency on the research needed to ensure that consumers are protected from chemical migration into food from packaging and other materials in contact with food.