Topics
food processing
October 14, 2025
Food processing equipment, from stainless steel pipes to polymer conveyor belts, makes prolonged, repetitive contact with food. Under the mechanical, thermal, and chemical stresses of modern production, chemical components of that equipment can migrate into the food product. These can include migrations of known hazardous chemicals and unknown or untested chemicals, at levels that may be of concern to public health or result in costly recalls. This background article reviews the main contamination pathways into food from processing equipment, the chemicals of concern they can contain, relevant regulatory frameworks, and emerging mitigation strategies.
Topics: food processing, ultra-processed foods
Reading time: 16 minutes
April 11, 2025
Study investigates organophosphates, phthalates and other plasticizers in 52 ultra-processed plant-based foods; finds these chemicals in higher levels than in comparable animal-based foods; cheese-alternatives more contaminated than meat- and fish-alternatives; identifies food packaging as one source of contamination
Topics: extraction, food processing
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 5, 2024
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are a large part of the diet of many people. This background article lays out the different ways researchers classify an ultra-processed food, what is known about the chemical migration from food contact materials to UPFs, and evidence related to human health effects of UPFs and food contact chemicals.
Reading time: 14 minutes
October 24, 2024
Article connects the dots between two global challenges: plastics and ultra-processed foods (UPFs); authors highlight how plastics have enabled the mass production of low-cost UPFs, leading to widespread health and environmental harms; emphasize that thousands of chemicals from plastic packaging migrate into food, many of which are hazardous and inadequately tested; urge joint efforts to tackle both issues, suggesting that addressing plastics and UPFs together could lead to more effective solutions
Reading time: 2 minutes
January 22, 2024
Two studies analyzed ultra-processed foods for phthalates and microplastics; report that consumption of ultra-processed foods and fast food during pregnancy increases exposure to phthalates; link lower socioeconomic status to increased ultra-processed food consumption and phthalate exposure; find highly-processed protein products in the US to contain significantly more microplastics than minimally-processed products; hypothesize plastic processing equipment to be one main source
Reading time: 4 minutes
May 19, 2022
Peer-reviewed study and freely available interactive tool provides systematic overview of food contact chemicals measured in migrates and extracts of food contact materials and articles
Reading time: 3 minutes
January 19, 2022
US state of Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) publishes food packaging chemicals of high concern list; mandated by state legislation and limited to 10 chemicals; DEP postpones ban on PFAS in food packaging originally meant to begin in 2022; phthalate ban went into effect January 1, 2022
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 5, 2021
Researchers measure phthalates or phthalate-replacing plasticizers in 100% of fast food samples from McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Taco Bell, and Chipotle restaurants in the US; seen as first published data of plasticizer DEHT detected in fast food
Reading time: 2 minutes
May 27, 2020
Latest episode of the Feed and Flourish podcast developed by The Klosters Forum discusses food packaging and the global food system with Jane Muncke from the Food Packaging Forum; examines interconnectedness of global issues, steps consumers can take
Reading time: 2 minutes
December 14, 2018
High-pressure processing can change functional structures and migration potential from flexible packaging materials; coated and laminated structures most sensitive; more research needed to find most suitable materials and packaging designs
Topics: food processing
Reading time: 2 minutes
