There is a growing backlash against conventional food packaging, amid mounting concerns surrounding its negative impact on consumer health and the environment. This is fueling consumer demand for more sustainable alternatives, such as paper or bioplastic, which deliver equal or superior functionality while maintaining safety in food contact applications. At Danone Research & Innovation (R&I), we’re helping to unwrap a better future for food packaging with support from our Global Quality & Food Safety (QFS) team. In collaboration with the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), they address the topic in an in-depth review published in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety.
Collaborating on a holistic approach to improve food safety knowledge
Since 2019, Danone’s QFS team has been working with the FAO to improve global nutrition and food safety knowledge, as well as to promote more sustainable food systems. The latest output of this collaboration is the peer-reviewed paper, entitled: “Recent and emerging food packaging alternatives: Chemical safety risks, current regulations, and analytical challenges.” By examining key emerging issues related to consumer safety in food packaging, the team of experts aims to help food-system-stakeholders to overcome food safety challenges and capture the opportunities within the sector as it navigates the sustainability transition.
Striving for a safe and fully circular packaging economy in the future
Strict regulations govern packaging that is used in contact with food: firstly, it should not change the food’s composition, taste or smell. Secondly, it should not release any harmful substances into the food itself. “Thus, potential new chemical hazards are an important food safety driver to consider in the shift away from conventional packaging materials, including plastic,” explains Charlene Lacourt, Senior Food Safety & Packaging Toxicology Scientist at Danone R&I and first author of the publication.
According to Jossie Garthoff, Food Safety Scientific Affairs Leader & Registered Toxicologist at Danone R&I, this paper is a call to action for ensuring that consumer and environmental safety are sufficiently addressed in food packaging innovation. “Anticipating packaging trends and their potential risks is key to supporting sustainable innovation while protecting consumers. Our review highlights potential food safety hazards that need to be addressed using a risk-based approach.”
Graphical abstract prepared by the authors (2024).
In line with the Danone’s vision of ‘One Planet. One Health’, the paper advocates for a One Health approach that considers human, animal, and environmental health outcomes during the development of new or conventional food contact materials. “The utilization of advanced analytical methods, facilitates the identification of a more diverse group of potentially hazardous chemical substances related to conventional, but also new materials,” notes Leo Meunier, Chemical Safety Director & Registered Toxicologist at Danone R&I. “We also highlighted the importance of knowledge gaps around alternative packaging solutions and how these new materials are produced, distributed, (re)used, and disposed of, hampering a realistic safety assessment of those materials.”
Setting the standard
As if all that was not enough, the team also addressed the lack of global harmonization on food contact material regulations and standards. “To improve both consumer safety and environmental responsibility, a consistent international framework of science-based principles is essential,” explains Aaron O’Sullivan, Food Safety Scientific Affairs & Regulatory Director at Danone R&I. “This would support greater compliance and safety regarding new and emerging food packaging, as stated in our Danone QFS commitments.”
By teaming up with the FAO on important research projects like this, Danone is helping to lift the lid on a range of food contact challenges – and to ensure that consumers around the world can trust and enjoy what they eat and drink, delivered in safe and sustainable packaging.
Learn more about the Danone Impact Journey toward a circular economy, our work on Sustainability, and the collaboration between our QFS team & FAO!