Manufacturers produced what they called a "safer plastic," a switch from those formerly made from chemicals that are harmful to health. A new report reveals, however, that the new food packaging contain phthalates that leach into food.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) found hormone-disrupting chemicals in popular food products like fresh bread, meat pizzas and takeaway burgers. National regulators detected two types of phthalates or plastic softeners in some food samples.
After looking at 30 chemicals that might migrate from food packaging, the study found no detectable levels for half of the chemicals. However, very low residues of some chemicals were found in a small number of samples.
The agency said that further research is needed for the two of the chemicals, both of which are phthalates. FSANZ plans to test a wider range of food in order to perform a full dietary exposure assessment.
"We detected very low residues of some chemicals in a small number of samples. After undertaking a very conservative safety assessment on these very low levels, FSANZ has concluded there are no safety concerns," FSANZ Chief Executive Steve McCutcheon said.
Though the FSANZ said that the low levels of phthalates detected in food packaging is no cause for alarm, experts commenting on the findings said that further research is needed, especially for the two chemicals detected.
"The results released by FSANZ are potentially concerning in regard to food-related exposure to phthalate chemicals, as animal studies have demonstrated that phthalate exposure causes adverse effects on development and health, and human biomonitoring studies are continuing to link phthalates to health conditions," Dr. Catherine Itman, a research-lecturer in Physiology at the University of The Sunshine Coast.
"Therefore, until more studies are done, it would be wise to be cautious," she added.
Phthalates are a group of chemicals used in a wide variety of products such as toys, vinyl flooring, detergents, lubricating oils, pharmaceuticals, blood bags, food packaging and tubing. It can also be found in various cosmetic products.
The exact health effects of phthalates is still not clear. According to the 1998 - 2000 report by an expert panel from the National Toxicology Program (NTP), reproductive risks from exposure to phthalates were minimal. Another report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2001 states that traces of phthalates were detected in the urine of a small segment of the U.S. population.
The human health effects of phthalates are not yet fully known but are being studied by several government agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and the National Toxicology Program's Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction.
High levels of a type of phthalate, di(2-ethylhexyl) or DEHP, may affect the development of the male reproductive system. Scientists linked DEHP with testicular toxicity in animal studies. The officials found this type of chemical in the food samples they tested.
Photo: Christian Kadluba | Flickr
