Toxic Food Packaging

What are Mikegees thoughts on this one then

http://www.express.co.uk/news/health/460...erm-health-risk

Why is it I am not suprised, all these people care about is maximum profit.

There is a certain amount of truth about endocrine-mimicking chemicals possibly being in packaging, but the levels are very low and they are being lowered further, or removed. . Phthalates and other compounds have been reported as having that action, though I think they are present at levels far below that likely to have any effect on humans . the suggestion about formaldehyde is ridiculous, as any present in packaging is likely to be below that naturally encountered and breathed in at many places such as morgues. funeral parlours and similar places.

Thanks Mike I knew you would sort it out, I even understood it. Do threshold values adding up make any difference?

They could add up under some circumstances if the effect of two compounds was the same. In a few cases two compounds could have more effect together than expected from the sum of the two amounts present. you would have to look at each individual case. Usually, if two compounds have different effects I would expect the effect to not be cumulative

Thanks mike

I think what may have changed in recent years is the detection sensitivity.
Instead of the tens of parts per million sensitivity of old it is now easy to detect one part per many millions of a given substance.

Supermarkets are aware of the leaching thing, it was found that PET bottles let chemicals in and out so they don't stand bleach next to pop. Not a precaution you will see in pound shops and the like.
I reckon people have always known that, that's why we don't store foodstuffs under the sink.

What you say is correct Volty, but also, when plastic packaging was first introduced they never envisaged that these compounds could leach out. Most of them are high molecular weight and it was thought they would stick in the plastic. Then analysts, particularly those dealing with flavours and pesticides, started finding these large horrible-looking lumps coming off on traces from the machines. They were phthalates, which were getting into everything after leaching out of plastics into solvents, chemicals -everything. Much more care is taken now and you never see phthalate peaks except where you expect them.

There you go mike, the trouble is we as consumers always trust what we pick up in a shop. We always seem to think "it must be safe or they couldn't sell it". Not always so though is it.?