Packing Material and Food Safety-What Packing Material Is the Safest for Food

Food packing material is always defined as follows: the product to pack or contain food or food additives or the coating to contact with them directly. It can be seen from the definition that the quality of food packing material has a direct influence on food safety. The influences of several packing materials on food safety will be explained below.

Plastic food packing material: Plastic is the most widely used packing material. However, its safety hazards lies in the migration of compounds, such as resin monomer, formaldehyde and toluene. Besides, stabilizer, colorant, plasticizer and other food additives might lead to the migration of compounds to food, which will influence food safety.

Paper food packing material: Paper is the most ancient and traditional packing material. However, some chemicals, such as impervious agent, bleach, dyeing agent, etc., will be added to pulp during paper production. And then some of these chemicals might migrate to food. What’s more, the dissolution of preservative or formaldehyde from paper products might can also occur.

Metal food packing material: Aluminum foil, iron foil and tin can are always used for metal packing, although aluminum foil is more used together with plastic film but less used alone. In addition, the surface of metal can is mostly coated with plastic. Therefore, heavy metal and some compounds of additives will migrate to food and influence its safety.

Glass food packing material: Glass is also a kind of melting material of inorganic matters. Its main ingredient is SiO₂-Na₂O. Different dissolutions will exist since the types of glass are variable.

Besides, metal salt is needed to color food packing material. So, the possible migration of heavy metal to food will also influence food safety and cause safe hazard.