|  | Public Health Safety | Food Safety

Importance of FDA Certification of Packaging Materials

The Food and Drug Administration regulates not only the actual food products that we eat, but also the packaging materials that keep them fresh. Because these packaging materials come into contact with our food--sometimes for extended lengths of time--they cannot contain any substances that could transfer into the food and put customers in danger.

  1. Generally Regarded as Safe

    • When evaluating the safety of food packaging, the FDA uses the criterion of "GRAS," or "generally regarded as safe." Food packaging materials such as glass and wax paper that have obtained GRAS status have been widely used for a sufficient period of time for their safety to not be a matter of controversy. It is important for the FDA to have this particular designation for certain food packaging materials in order to establish a workable baseline that both manufacturers and consumers can easily understand when evaluating the safety of common food packaging materials.

    Temperature Resistance

    • Many manufacturers design food products for consumers to conveniently reheat in their original packaging. But some materials such as certain types of plastic and styrofoam can release toxins when they are heated. For this reason the FDA requires that food companies submit packaging materials that are meant to be heated to rigorous test processes in order to make sure that they will not be dangerous to consumers when heat is applied to them.

    Irradiation

    • The food industry commonly uses the practice of food irradiation, or treating food radioactively in order to kill foodborne pathogens. The FDA is particularly strict regarding packaging materials for food that is irradiated inside its package because this radioactive activity can transfer unsafe nonfood substances from the packaging materials into the food. In order to protect consumers, they stipulate specific materials that can be used to package food that will be irradiated, as well as levels of radiation that are acceptable for each of these substances.

    Repeated Use

    • Food packaging that is intended for repeated use, such as reusable plastic containers, needs to undergo FDA testing and certification for this particular type of use. Food containers that are suitable for holding products until they are purchased are not necessarily safe for continuous use and high temperature washing. By approving products for repeated use, the FDA works to protect customers for this particular application of their food packaging.

    Food Contact Substances

    • Food contact substances that can impact the health of consumers are not limited to the packaging that directly hold these foods. Food packaging makes use of a variety of substances, including dyes for printing colorful labels, and glues and adhesives for keeping packaging closed. In order to protect consumers effectively, the FDA individually certifies each of these food packaging materials subjecting them to rigorous testing protocols.

Food Safety - Related Articles