New research uncovers widespread human exposure to food-contact chemicals, many of which lack crucial safety data, underscoring the need for more stringent regulations to protect public health. Image Credit: monticello / Shutterstock In a recent study published in The Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology , researchers analyzed biomonitoring data and other databases to investigate the presence of food-contact chemicals (FCCs) in humans. Their findings indicate that 25% of known FCCs are present in humans, with many lacking comprehensive hazard data, which could help improve food safety and public health policies.
Background People can be exposed to various synthetic chemicals through household items, medication, food, products used for personal care, and the environment. FCCs migrate from packaging and processing materials into food, which is then consumed, contributing to this exposure. Chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates have been studied, leading to bans on the use of BPA in various products, including baby bottles.
However, BPA continues to be found in packaging and other materials that come into contact with food, and thousands of other FCCs are used in manufacturing. The upper panel illustrates the FCCs from the FCCdb (green outline), the FCCmigex (yellow outline), and their overlap. The left part of the middle panel shows the number of known FCCs that have been detected in biomonitoring programs and, in brackets, the total number of monit.