Tackling the toxics in plastics packaging.
PLoS Biol
; 19(3): e3000961, 2021 03.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33784315
ABSTRACT
The widespread use of plastic packaging for storing, transporting, and conveniently preparing or serving foodstuffs is significantly contributing to the global plastic pollution crisis. This has led to many efforts directed toward amending plastic packaging's end of life, such as recycling, or alternative material approaches, like increasingly using paper for food packaging. But these approaches often neglect the critical issue of chemical migration When contacting foodstuffs, chemicals that are present in packaging transfer into food and thus unwittingly become part of the human diet. Hazardous chemicals, such as endocrine disrupters, carcinogens, or substances that bioaccumulate, are collectively referred to as "chemicals of concern." They can transfer from plastic packaging into food, together with other unknown or toxicologically uncharacterized chemicals. This chemical transfer is scientifically undisputed and makes plastic packaging a known, and avoidable, source of human exposure to synthetic, hazardous, and untested chemicals. Here, I discuss this issue and highlight aspects in need of improvement, namely the way that chemicals present in food packaging are assessed for toxicity. Further, I provide an outlook on how chemical contamination from food packaging could be addressed in the future. Robust innovations must attempt systemic change and tackle the issue of plastic pollution and chemical migration in a way that integrates all existing knowledge.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Plásticos
/
Embalaje de Alimentos
/
Embalaje de Productos
Tipo de estudio:
Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
PLoS Biol
Asunto de la revista:
BIOLOGIA
Año:
2021
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Suiza