Research identifies nearly 200 potential breast carcinogens in food contact materials, including plastics and paper, highlighting widespread exposure despite existing regulation. The findings underscore an urgent need for stronger preventative measures to reduce these chemicals in everyday products. Researchers from the Food Packaging Forum identify and discuss nearly 200 potential breast carcinogens that have been detected in food contact materials (FCMs) on the market.
Many nations have food contact material legislation intended to protect citizens from hazardous chemicals, often specifically by regulating genotoxic carcinogens. As cancer is one of the few health endpoints specifically targeted in FCM regulations and testing, carcinogenic chemicals in food packaging and other food contact materials and articles should not be commonplace. This study is important because it shows that there is a huge opportunity for prevention of human exposure to breast cancer-causing chemicals.
The potential for cancer prevention by reducing hazardous chemicals in your daily life is underexplored and deserves much more attention." Jane Muncke, Managing Director of the Food Packaging Forum and co-author of the study By comparing a recently published list of potential breast carcinogens developed by scientists at the Silent Spring Institute with the Food Packaging Forum's own Database on migrating and extractable food contact chemicals (FCCmigex), the authors find that 189 potential breast ca.