The Food Packaging Forum is a Zurich-based science communication organization which was established in June 2012. In close collaboration with experts the Food Packaging Forum makes scientific facts and expert opinions related to food packaging health accessible and understandable to all [1]. The food packaging forum is independent and provides scientific information on food packaging health to all stakeholders. It addresses regulators, scientist, business decision makers, media, communication experts and consumers[1].
Organisational Structure
editThe Food Packaging Forum consists of an office based in Zurich, Switzerland as well as foundation board currently composed of the president Martin Scheringer, and the board members Angel Nadal, Petra Hieber, Jane Muncke, Miquel Porta and Thomas Backhaus. The Food Packaging Forum is supervised by the foundation board, which ensures the high scientific standard of the Food Packaging Forum’s work[2].
Funding
editThe Food Packaging Forum is funded by donations, which are made unconditionally. Current donators are Consol, Emhart Glass, OI and Vetropack. The funds are controlled by the foundation board [3].
Areas of work
editFood Packaging Health
editThe Food Packaging Forum evolved out of the need to increase awareness and understandability of health risks associated with packaging materials. Food packaging materials protect food stuffs from environmental contamination but can also be a source of contamination in itself. As packaging has evolved over the past decades and continuously more substances are added to the packaging material, concerns have emerged about the consequences that such substances have on public health. Both governmental as well as research institutions have made efforts to elucidate these potential health consequences [4]. Substances have been found to migrate into food stuffs contained within to various degrees, and health effects of these substances such as cardiovascular disease, asthma, IQ, obesity and thyroid function have been observed [5][6][7][8][9]. The Food Packaging Forum provides accessible information on the recent scientific advances in the area, including food packaging material analysis, migration and health effects. As such, it contributes to efforts that shall make food contact material related exposure and risk assessment more transparent.
Migration
editMigration is one of the major concerns arising from food packaging. Materials today are usually a composite of different bulk chemicals, additives, plasticizers, UV filters, printing inks and coatings[10]. Most materials are not completely inert and substances may leach into the food. With different food contact materials the migration of different substances may be an issue. The Food Packaging Forum regularly publishes reviews of recent migration studies and puts them into context as well as providing information on which substances may typically migrate from a certain packaging material [11].
Low dose
editOne of the major questions that scientists and risk assessors currently try to resolve is whether low dose exposure are of relevance to public health. Low dose is often defined as doses below those typically tested in toxicology[12]. As such, low doses are traditionally not tested, but it is assumed that the effect of a substance is similar to its effect at high dose but occurs at a lower magnitude. Some scientists have argued that for certain chemicals this assumption is not applicable. Substances such as phthalates and Bisphenol A are believed to act like endocrine disruptors and as such their behavior at low dose is unpredictable [8]. These concerns have been contested by some researchers and their relevance has been questioned[13]. Consequently regulatory advances in the area have been stalled. The Food Packaging Forum provides information on recent studies on low dose exposure and health effects as well as regulatory advances.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Food Packaging Forum (2012). Mission. Retrieved October 31, 2012 from http://foodpackagingforum.org/About-Us/Mission
- ^ Food Packaging Forum (2012). Board. Retrieved October 31, 2012 from http://foodpackagingforum.org/About-Us/Foundation-Board
- ^ Food Packaging Forum (2012). Funding. Retrieved October 31, 2012 from http://foodpackagingforum.org/About-Us/Funding
- ^ EFSA (2012). Food Contact Materials. Webpage of EFSA http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/food-contact-materials
- ^ Diamanti-Kandarakis, E., et al., Endocrine-disrupting chemicals: an Endocrine Society scientific statement. Endocr Rev, 2009. 30(4): p. 293-342. from http://edrv.endojournals.org/content/30/4/293.short
- ^ Dodson, R.E., et al., Endocrine disruptors and asthma-associated chemicals in consumer products. Environ Health Perspect, 2012. 120(7): p. 935-43
- ^ Trasande L, A.T.M.B.J., Association between urinary bisphenol a concentration and obesity prevalence in children and adolescents. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2012. 308(11): p. 1113-1121.http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/2012.jama.11461.
- ^ a b Vandenberg, L.N., et al., Hormones and endocrine-disrupting chemicals: low-dose effects and nonmonotonic dose responses. Endocr Rev, 2012. 33(3): p. 378-455. http://edrv.endojournals.org/content/33/3/378.long
- ^ Andra, S.S. and K.C. Makris, Thyroid Disrupting Chemicals in Plastic Additives and Thyroid Health. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part C, 2012. 30(2): p. 107-151.http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10590501.2012.681487
- ^ Muncke, Jane. (2009). Exposure to endocrine disrupting compounds via the food chain: Is packaging a relevant source? Science of The Total Environment, 407(16), 4549-4559. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.05.006
- ^ Food Packaging Forum (2012). Food Packaging Materials. Retrieved October 31, 2012 from http://foodpackagingforum.org/index.php/Food-Packaging-Health/Food-Packaging-Materials
- ^ Vandenberg, L. N., Colborn, T., Hayes, T. B., Heindel, J. J., Jacobs, D. R., Jr., Lee, D. H., . . . Myers, J. P. (2012). Hormones and endocrine-disrupting chemicals: low-dose effects and nonmonotonic dose responses. Endocr Rev, 33(3), 378-455. doi: 10.1210/er.2011-1050
- ^ Rhomberg, L.R. and J.E. Goodman, Low-dose effects and nonmonotonic dose–responses of endocrine disrupting chemicals: Has the case been made? Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 2012. 64(1): p. 130-133.