Overview of research on health and safety of food packaging materials

Yang Yang, Gan Pingsheng, Hu Guoyuan, Hu Yizhi

(Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou 510080)

Overview

[Abstract] Food packaging materials are closely related to food hygiene and safety. Food packaging must ensure the hygiene and safety of the packaged food in order to become a safe food.

Because only qualified raw materials, food additives, packaging materials and containers can produce food that meets quality and safety requirements. From the perspective of a food hygiene inspection worker, let’s talk about the hygiene and safety of food packaging materials to help people pay attention to food hygiene and safety. Improve consumers’ discerning ability.

[Keywords] food packaging materials; national health standards; safety evaluation

With the improvement of living standards, people are paying more and more attention to food safety and hygiene

problems arise, and food packaging materials have received wider attention as an important means to ensure food safety and hygiene

Judging from the results of random inspections of tableware and food packaging,

we found that there are problems in the health and safety of food packaging materials that cannot be ignored:

Based on the fact that food packaging is closely related to health and safety, There are many and serious problems, so research on the safety of food packaging materials is particularly important.

1 Types of food packaging materials and hygienic standards

1.1 Types of food packaging materials

Currently, the food containers, packaging materials and materials allowed to be used in our country are For manufacturing

food tools and equipment include (1) Plastic products - thermoplastics, thermosetting plastics

and other series products, plastic additives; (2) Rubber products - natural Rubber, synthetic

Rubber, rubber additives and other series products; the additives used for the first three organic substances must

comply with GB~85-1994 "Agents for Food Containers and Packaging Materials" (3) Food container inner wall coatings - normal temperature film-forming coatings, high-temperature curing

film-forming and other series of coatings and additives; (4 ) Ceramics, enamel tableware; (5) Aluminum products, stainless steel tableware containers, iron tableware containers, glass tableware containers; (6) food packaging

Paper and other serialized products; (7) Composite packaging bags - composite films, composite film bags

and other serialized products.

1.2 Main hygienic indicators of food packaging materials

The hygienic indicators of food packaging materials mainly include: evaporation residue (acetic acid, ethanol, n-hexane ), potassium permanganate consumption, heavy metals, residual toxins, etc. In the hygienic standards for food containers and packaging materials, they are soaked in various liquids, and then the migration amounts of relevant components of these liquids are measured. The choice of solvent depends on the type of food container and packaging material in contact with food. According to different physical states, chemical substances are generally used, such as distilled water (representing neutral food), 4% acetic acid (representing acidic foods), 8% to 60% ethanol (representing alcohol-containing foods), n-hexane (representing fatty foods) ; The consumption of potassium permanganate in the distilled water solvent after soaking is also called oxygen consumption (representing the total organic matter and insoluble matter migrating into the food) ; Decolorization test; Others based on arsenic, fluorine, heavy metals that may cause food pollution (lead, cadmium, antimony, germanium, cobalt, chromium, zinc), organic monomer residues, pyrolysis products (ethyl chloride)

Determination of harmful elements such as alkenes, styrene, phenols, nitrile rubber, formaldehyde), additives, aging substances, etc.

Evaporation residue represents the total amount of soluble and insoluble substances migrating into food. It reflects the folding residue, heavy metals, Possibility of fluorescent substances and residual toxins. If such

food packaging is used to carry food, the food will be contaminated to varying degrees. After people eat

the toxins will enter the human body and be deposited in the internal organs for a long time, causing Chronic poisoning.

In particular, excessive heavy metals in the human body will weaken the human immune function. Damage to the nervous, hematopoietic and reproductive systems, especially to the physical and intellectual development of children and adolescents in the growing period, causing slowdown or even irreversible toxic side effects.

1.3 Hygiene standards for food packaging materials

In terms of hygiene standards, they are divided into two aspects: raw materials and finished products. Hygienic standards for raw materials include GB9691 "Hygienic Standards for Polyethylene Resin for Food", GB96~ (Hygienic Standards for Polystyrene Resin for Food) and GB9693 {Hygienic Standards for Polypropylene Resins for Food Applications" Among these three resin standards, polyethylene and polypropylene use the largest amount, and polystyrene uses the least amount, and it will exceed Come less and less.

In addition, in addition to these three resin standards abroad, there are also hygienic standards for other resins such as polyester (PET), nylon (PA) and so on. Among the hygienic standards for these raw materials, there are regulations on heavy metal content,

evaporation residue, potassium permanganate consumption, decolorization indicators, etc. Among foreign indicators, there are also aldehydes. Content, cadmium, arsenic, mercury and other heavy metal content, phenol and amine content and other regulations.

In terms of hygienic standards for molded products, there are GB%87 {Hygienic Standard for Polyethylene Molded Products for Food Packaging

and GB9688 {Hygienic Standard for Polypropylene Molded Products for Food Packaging< /p>

Standard", GB9689 "Hygienic Standard for Polystyrene Molded Products for Food Packaging" and

G~683 {Hygienic Standard for Composite Food Packaging Bags". Among the first three hygienic standard items for molded products, there are specific indicators for evaporation residue, potassium permanganate consumption, and heavy metal content, while the fourth "Composite Food Packaging" In the "Hygienic Standards for Bags", an indicator that the diamine toluene content should not be greater than 0.004 mL was added. This is because in food

packaging materials, trace amounts of harmful substances in the adhesive will also affect the hygienic performance of the entire

system, and diaminotoluene is a Carcinogens must

be strictly controlled. There must also be corresponding hygienic standards for molded products. The purpose is to prevent the indiscriminate use and abuse of additives and to better ensure that materials directly packaged and in contact with food are highly hygienic. Health and safety performance.

In addition to the above-mentioned hygienic standard items and indicators, my country's composite packaging materials

material standards also have a requirement that the residual solvent shall not exceed 10 m kg, for example

For example, GBIO0(~ and GB10005 have recently added the content that the residual amount of toluene should not

be greater than 3 m kg. This is due to the differences in packaging materials in recent years

Odor and potential toxicity requirements are becoming more and more stringent. Therefore, in addition to limiting its residual

amount, water-based inks, adhesives, and alcohol-soluble oils have subsequently been developed.

New products such as inks and adhesives, as well as solvent-free adhesives, aim to ensure that composite materials have higher purity, hygiene and safety properties

For the hygiene and safety of packaging materials, my country has formulated GB9685 {Hygienic Standards for the Use of Additives for Food Containers and Packaging Materials

In this hygienic standard for additives, regulations

The names of 17 categories and 58 specific substances such as additives, solvents, and adhesives are determined

and the maximum usage amount, similar to FDA2l CFR&175.105 and Japanese adhesives

"Independent regulations", list the names of auxiliary materials that can be used in the field of food packaging

The list and their maximum dosage, other than this, are not allowed to be used.

1. 4 Toxic and harmful substances that are not allowed to be used in food packaging materials

my country stipulates that phenolic resin cannot be used to make tableware, containers, production pipes, conveyor belts, etc. that are in direct contact with food. Packaging materials; chloroprene generally cannot be used to make rubber products for food, lead oxide, hexamethylenetetramine, aromatic amines, ot-mercaptoimidine

oxazoline, ot- Mercaptobenzothiazole (accelerator M), dimethylthiazole disulfide (accelerator DM), ethylbenzene-B-naphthylamine (anti-aging agent J), p-phenylenediamines , styrene substitutes

Phenol, antioxidant 124, etc. shall not be used in rubber products for food; my country stipulates that the colorant of rubber products used in the food industry should be iron oxide , titanium dioxide.

Therefore, the appearance of red and white rubber products is stipulated for the food industry, and the strongly black rubber products are for the non-food industry; containers No extremely toxic or highly toxic additives may be used in interior wall coatings.

Ceramics, enamel tableware, metal, and glass tableware containers may not use harmful metals as raw materials. Metal tableware raw materials may be mixed with harmful metals such as lead, cadmium

or other chemical poisons. There have been incidents in China where galvanized iron containers were used to make drinks, and food poisoning occurred after drinking them

The state stipulates that galvanized iron sheets are not allowed to be used in food machinery. Most of the food

applications in the industry are Black iron sheet; lead compounds are often added to high-end glassware such as tall wine glasses, which is a more prominent hygiene problem in glassware; waste recycled paper is not allowed

to be used as Paper-making raw materials, because although the waste recycled paper is decolorized, only the ink pigments are removed, and lead, cadmium, polychlorinated biphenyls, etc. can still remain in the paper pulp; It is strictly prohibited to use fluorescent whitening agents in food packaging paper. Use food packaging grade paraffin. Pay attention to the issue of cellophane softeners and should comply with GB11680-89 (Hygienic of base paper for food packaging) "Standard" requirements; composite film food packaging bags use polyurethane

type adhesive, which brings toluene diisocyanate (TDI), which will migrate

into the food when the food is cooked. Hydrolysis produces 2,4-diaminotoluene (TDA), which is carcinogenic.

Should comply with GB9683-1988 (Hygienic Standard for Composite Food Packaging Bags); Microorganisms in Food

Exceeding the standard is also caused by unqualified packaging materials and containers, especially paper packaging supplies, leather, natural rubber, wood and other materials that are of unhygienic and safe quality.

This causes the problem of mold (fungus) contamination of food, especially liquid food.

2 Foreign hygiene and safety management methods for food packaging materials

European and American developed countries have their own unique characteristics in food packaging safety management. But there are also some

*** similarities:

2.1 Scientific legislation

First of all, legislative, law enforcement and judicial agencies must separate their powers to ensure legislative decision-making

The basis of federal and state laws (in France are provinces) is strict, flexible, and scientific. State laws stipulate that the food production and packaging industries have legal responsibilities to produce safe food. The federal government, state and local governments use laws to regulate food and food. /p>

In food processing, they assume mutually complementary and internally independent responsibilities

2.2 Justice in law enforcement

The constitution gives law enforcement, legislation, and judiciary their respective responsibilities. , law enforcement, legislative, and judicial agencies all bear responsibilities in the national food safety system. As the legislative body, the Congress must formulate and promulgate laws and regulations to ensure food safety; Congress also Authorizes law enforcement agencies

agencies to implement these statutes, and these law enforcement agencies may implement the statutes by formulating and enforcing

regulations. When disputes arise over the implementation of regulations and policies, judicial organs

should make fair decisions. In the United States, laws, decrees and presidential executive orders form a complete system to ensure openness and transparency to the public.

2.3 Five Principles

Generally speaking, the food packaging safety system is established in accordance with the following five guiding principles

: Food safety regulatory decisions are based on Based on science; the government has the responsibility to enforce the law impartially; only safe and healthy food can enter the market; manufacturers, distributors, importers and others must abide by the above principles, otherwise we will bear legal responsibility

; the process of formulating laws and regulations is transparent and open to the public.

2.4 International cooperation

In the food packaging safety systems of the United States and France, international cooperation and science-based safety prevention and Risk analysis serves as an important basis for national food safety policies and decision-making

. This is the food safety policy implemented by the United States and France for a long time.

In terms of cooperation, on the one hand, through cooperation with international organizations, such as the Codex Alimentarius Commission CAC, the World Health Organization WHO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

FAO, etc., to solve technical problems problems, emergency issues, food safety incidents, etc.; on the other hand, through the cooperation of experts within government agencies and consultation or cooperation with other scientists,

provide technical support to regulators and scientific recommendations; emphasis on early warning systems for food pathogens; agencies authorized to formulate regulations revise regulations and guidelines based on technological development, knowledge updates, and consumer protection needs .

In order to effectively implement food safety system laws and ensure food packaging safety

it has a high degree of public trust, and developed countries in Europe and the United States have established corresponding management

Institutions, such as the French National Certification Committee, the National Label Appraisal Committee CNLC, the Ministry of Health

The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Institute of Specialty Products; the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

(FDA) , the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

(APHIS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other agencies and organizations are responsible for protecting consumer safety

, the primary responsibility of health.

3 Measures to strengthen the hygienic management of food packaging materials

3.1 Accelerate the revision and formulation of hygienic standards and safety regulations for food packaging

Developed countries in Europe and the United States It is a pioneer in formulating food packaging safety regulations in the world. After more than 100 years of development, it has established a complete food packaging safety management system.

Our country's food packaging materials also have corresponding laws, regulations and hygienic standards, such as the "Food Hygiene Law of the People's Republic of China", "Food Plastic Products and Raw Materials Management Office"

Law", "Hygienic Management Methods for Rubber Products for Food", "Hygienic Management Methods for Ceramic Tableware Containers

", "Hygienic Management Methods for Enamel Tableware Containers", etc. Since the hygienic standards for some food packages were established in the last century, there are relatively few testing items. For many new products, due to the lack of corresponding food standards and corresponding testing, Indicator requirements and corresponding testing method standards prevent harmful components hidden in some food packaging materials (including basic materials, adhesives, and inks) from being controlled. . Food packaging manufactured according to traditional

processes will contain additives, such as antioxidants, solvents for harmful substances such as benzene and toluene, although most of them are It evaporates during the manufacturing process, but a small amount of solvent will remain between the composite membranes. As time goes by, it will penetrate into the food from the membrane surface and cause it to deteriorate. , change the taste, and increase the unsafe factors of food

. In composite packaging materials, in addition to resins and additives, there are also widely used inks and adhesives. Currently, there is no separate hygiene standard for it, and there is no national Unified product standards include only the "Enterprise

Standards" of each manufacturer. This requires our attention and timely research on it.

3.2 Strengthen the inspection and supervision of food packaging materials, including their raw materials

Strengthen the inspection and supervision of food packaging. Inspection and supervision work must move forward to prevent substandard food from entering the market and harming society. Ensure the safety and quality of food and provide consumers with hygienic, safe, environmentally friendly, convenient and beautiful food packaging.

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[3]GB9685-1994. Hygienic standards for the use of additives for food containers and packaging materials [S].

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