According to the French news agency reported on the 17th, a new study shows that in today's known to be used in food packaging materials in the 14,000 kinds of chemical ingredients, 3,601 kinds in the human body has been detected, accounting for about 25% of the total. The research paper was published Sept. 17 in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology. “Some harmful chemicals can have adverse effects on human health.” According to Jane Munk, chief science officer of the Food Packaging Forum and one of the paper's authors, “These chemicals can leach out of packaging.”

Scientists have known for years that chemicals can spill out of food packaging and leach into food, according to the report. The type and amount of chemicals depend on the type of packaging and the type of food, and high temperatures can cause chemicals to leach faster, which is why scientists advise against heating food in takeaway containers. In addition, foods that are high in fat or acid are more likely to absorb more chemicals from their packaging, as are foods that come in smaller containers. Most of the chemicals leaching from food packaging come from plastics, but the use of other materials such as recycled paper and cardboard for food packaging can also lead to non-food-grade inks being mixed into food, which increases the risk of chemical penetration.

Scientists are calling for the need for better testing of food packaging and further regulation of which packaging materials are safe.