For food and beverage manufacturers, in addition to ensuring safety in the production process, care must also be taken in the selection of packaging materials. If the packaging is not food safe, it could leak chemicals into your food, potentially causing health problems later on.
Here’s what you need to know about food-safe plastic for use in food and beverage packaging.
1. What Makes Plastic Safe or Unsafe for Food?
Basically, the regulations make sure that any surface which comes in contact with food is non-toxic. This includes all the materials used during manufacturing as well as packaging.
If plastic packaging has been deemed “safe”, it will have the food safe symbol on it.
Resin Identification Codes (aka Recycling Number)
The Resin Identification Code (RIC) is the little number in a triangle that you will see on most plastic packages. This number lets you know what type of plastic packaging is made from.
A lot of people mistakenly believe that the RIC number tells you whether plastic is safe for food or not. This is not the case. For example, many food containers are made out of plastic #2 (HDPE). But many containers which are not food grade (such as buckets or gas cans) are also made from plastic #2.
BPA and Plastic Packaging
When it comes to chemicals in plastic packaging, Bisphenol A – or BPA – gets the most attention. Numerous studies have found that BPA may leach into food or water and cause health effects like endocrine disorders, heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, fetal development problems, and cancers.
Plastics containing BPA are listed as safe under FDA regulations. However, because BPA is associated with so many health risks, plastics containing BPA won’t make it on most food-safe plastic lists.
Just because plastic doesn’t contain BPA, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is safe. The chemicals used in BPA-free containers, such as BPS and BPF, maybe just as bad. And that doesn’t even take into consideration the many other chemicals in plastic that could leach into your food or water.
Read more: Advantages and disadvantages of plastic packaging
The bottom line?
When you do have to use plastic films for food and beverage packaging, choose ones which are:
- Labeled as Food Safe
- Don’t contain harmful chemicals (at least any of the ones we know about now)
- To be least likely to leach chemicals
2. List of safe plastic films for food and beverage packaging
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET or PETE)
- Recycling Code: #1
- Contains BPA: No
PETE is one of the most common food-grade plastics and is generally considered safe. However, there have been reports of PETE water bottles being chemically washed out – especially when exposed to high temperatures. At about 70 degrees F, levels of the chemical appear to be safe. However, as the temperature gets higher, dangerous chemicals begin to seep inside at a faster rate.
If you live in a very hot place, it might not be smart to use PET plastic for food storage. As a general rule, PET plastic is also not recommended for long-term water storage because it develops small holes as it decomposes, which can lead to water leaks all over your floor.
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
- Recycling Code: #2
- Contains BPA: No
HDPE is generally considered the best food-safe plastic, it is very strong and durable.
Compared to other food-safe plastics, HDPE is the least likely to leak chemicals into the interior.
Note: HDPE is commonly used for non-food items such as machine oil or cleaning products.
Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
- Recycling code: #4
- Contains BPA: No
LDPE plastic is very flexible, is not associated with any health risks, and is not likely to leak chemicals. However, because it is so versatile, it is not usually used to hold food or water.
Polypropylene (PP)
- Recycling Code: #5
- Contains BPA: No
Compared to other plastics, polypropylene is more resistant to heat and exposure to acids or grease. This makes it less likely to leak chemicals. If you need to store foods like ketchup (acidic) or vegetable oils (grease), PP plastic may be the best choice.
PP plastic is generally considered microwave and dishwasher safe. There aren’t any known health problems associated with PP plastic.
3. Plastic is NOT safe for food and beverage packaging
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
- Recycling Code: #3
- Harmful Chemicals: Phthalates
Even though PVC plastics are labeled as “food safe” by the FDA, it is best to avoid this type of plastic. It contains phthalates, a group of chemicals that can affect sex hormones. They are also associated with obesity, asthma, and birth defects.
Polystyrene (PS)
- Recycling Code: #6
- Harmful Chemicals: Styrene
Better known as Styrofoam, polystyrene plastics are known to leach a chemical called styrene. The chemical is terrible for the environment and also associated with numerous health issues. It should be avoided and never heated.
Miscellaneous (Polycarbonate and Polylactide)
- Recycling Code: #7 to #19
- Harmful Chemicals: BPA
Plastic codes #7-19 are used for miscellaneous plastics, including Polycarbonate (PC) and Polylactide containers. While some of these plastics may be food-safe, the problem is that you can’t be sure what’s in the plastic. Many of them might contain BPA or other harmful chemicals and it’s likely that they could leach into your food or water.
So you know which types of plastic films are safe and unsafe to use to produce packaging for food and beverages. However, in order to best protect your products before reaching consumers, you need to combine many different types of plastic film (called laminate packaging).
Amiba company’s products are widely used by ensuring quality management, environmental protection, and integrated ISO standards:
– It has been assessed and certified to meet the requirements of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Codex Alimentarius
– It has been assessed and certified to meet the requirements of Food Safety System Certification (FSSC) 22000
– It has been assessed and certified to meet the requirements of ISO 22000: 2018
– It has been assessed and certified to meet the requirements of ISO 9001: 2015
If you need to learn more about the laminated film packaging, or need advice regarding placing an order or getting a price quotation, please call now +84 966 290 555 for the best support.
CONTACT US
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Office Tower: 25 Ngo Quyen Street, Ward 10, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel: +84 966 290 555
Email: info@amibapack.com
Website: www.amibapack.com