Food Packaging and Chemical Migration: A Food Safety Perspective

Packaging has become an essential component of food production and distribution. It plays a vital role in preserving food quality and safety, while also helping to reduce food waste. However, the widespread use of packaging has led to increased chemical migration, posing significant risks to food safety and public health. Migration occurs when low molecular weight compounds from packaging materials, printing inks, or adhesives transfer to food under certain conditions, potentially introducing harmful substances. This contamination can degrade food quality through unwanted changes and expose consumers to serious health risks, highlighting the need for stringent controls. This review examines various packaging materials, explores the factors influencing the migration of chemical substances from packaging into food, compiles data on the presence of migrants in foods, identifies those posing risks to public health, and underlines measures to minimize migration from a food safety perspective.