Chemicals in food packaging

(May 2012)

Food packaging protects food from contamination and extends its shelf life.

FSANZ is aware of reports about chemicals in food contact packaging that might migrate into the food or liquid inside a package.

To assess whether chemicals in foods and beverages present any health and safety risks, in 2010 FSANZ surveyed a range of chemicals associated with packaging materials.

We analysed 65 foods and beverages packaged in glass, paper, plastic or cans for chemicals including phthalates, perfluorinated compounds, epoxidised soybean oil (ESBO), semicarbazide, acrylonitrile and vinyl chloride.

The survey builds on the FSANZ survey of bisphenol A (BPA) in foods published in 2010.

What did the survey find?

The survey results were very reassuring with no detections of phthalates, perfluorinated compounds, semicarbazide, acrylonitrile or vinyl chloride in food samples.

ESBO, which is produced from soybean oil and is used in a range of plastics to give the plastic safe and airtight mechanical properties to form a good seal between a food container and its lid, was detected at very low levels in a small proportion of samples analysed. These levels were well below international migration limits set by the European Union and don’t pose a risk to human health and safety.

Is further testing being done to determine levels of packaging chemicals in foods?

FSANZ will continue to monitor levels of BPA and other chemicals used in food packaging as part of the 24^th Australian Total Diet Study.

Read the survey: Survey of chemical migration from food contact packaging materials in Australian food

How is food packaging regulated?

In Australia, manufacturers are required by the Food Standards Code to ensure food packaging materials are safe and meet the requirements of the relevant Australian Standard.

Standard 1.4.3 – Articles and Materials in Contact with Food, deals with food contact materials in general terms but does not specify individual packaging materials for food contact or how they should be produced or used.

The Standard also refers to the Australian Standard for Plastic Materials for Food Contact Use, AS 2070-1999. This Standard provides a guide to industry about the production of plastic materials for food contact use. AS 2070-1999, in turn, refers to regulations of the US and European Economic Community directives for the manufacture and use of plastics. Various state and territory food acts also make reference to food packaging safety.

More information

Standard 1.4.3 – Articles and Materials in Contact with Food.

Standard 1.4.1 – Contaminants and Natural Toxicants

Australian Standard for Plastic Materials for Food Contact Use, AS 2070-1999 (pdf 121 kb)