Food packaging is of high societal value because it conserves and protects food, makes food transportable and conveys information to consumers. It is also relevant for marketing, which is of economic significance. Other types of food contact articles, such as storage containers, processing equipment and filling lines, are also important for food production and food supply. Food contact articles are made up of one or multiple different food contact materials and consist of food contact chemicals. However, food contact chemicals transfer from all types of food contact materials and articles into food and, consequently, are taken up by humans. Here we highlight topics of concern based on scientific findings showing that food contact materials and articles are a relevant exposure pathway for known hazardous substances as well as for a plethora of toxicologically uncharacterized chemicals, both intentionally and non-intentionally added. We describe areas of certainty, like the fact that chemicals migrate from food contact articles into food, and uncertainty, for example unidentified chemicals migrating into food. Current safety assessment of food contact chemicals is ineffective at protecting human health. In addition, society is striving for waste reduction with a focus on food packaging. As a result, solutions are being developed toward reuse, recycling or alternative (non-plastic) materials. However, the critical aspect of chemical safety is often ignored. Developing solutions for improving the safety of food contact chemicals and for tackling the circular economy must include current scientific knowledge. This cannot be done in isolation but must include all relevant experts and stakeholders. Therefore, we provide an overview of areas of concern and related activities that will improve the safety of food contact articles and support a circular economy. Our aim is to initiate a broader discussion involving scientists with relevant expertise but not currently working on food contact materials, and decision makers and influencers addressing single-use food packaging due to environmental concerns. Ultimately, we aim to support science-based decision making in the interest of improving public health. Notably, reducing exposure to hazardous food contact chemicals contributes to the prevention of associated chronic diseases in the human population.
This study investigates structure−reactivity relationships within branched per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) undergoing cobalt-catalyzed reductive defluorination reactions. Experimental results and theoretical calculations reveal correlations among the extent of PFAS defluorination, the local C−F bonding environment, and calculated bond dissociation energies (BDEs). In general, BDEs increase in the following order: tertiary C−F bonds < secondary C−F bonds < primary C−F bonds. A tertiary C−F bond adjacent to three fluorinated carbons (or two fluorinated carbons and one carboxyl group) has a relatively low BDE that permits an initial defluorination to occur. Both a biogenic cobalt−corrin complex (B 12 ) and an artificial cobalt−porphyrin complex (Co-PP) are found to catalytically defluorinate multiple C−F bonds in selected PFASs. In general, Co-PP exhibits an initial rate of defluorination that is higher than that of B 12 . Neither complex induced significant defluorination in linear perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA; no tertiary C−F bond) or a perfluoroalkyl ether carboxylic acid (tertiary C−F BDEs too high). These results open new lines of research, including (1) designing branched PFASs and cobalt complexes that promote complete defluorination of PFASs in natural and engineered systems and (2) evaluating potential impacts of branched PFASs in biological systems where B 12 is present.
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