On March 18, 2015 the National Food Institute at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU Food) reported on its latest research findings showing that paper and board food packaging contain both well-known and new endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). In her PhD project at DTU Food, Anna Kjerstine Rosenmai investigated whether five bisphenol A (BPA, CAS 80-05-7) replacements might have endocrine disrupting (ED) effects similar to those of BPA. Rosenmai was also interested whether 19 fluorinated substances might have a potential for endocrine disruption. The results show that the five BPA analogues bisphenol B (CAS 77-40-7), bisphenol E (CAS 2081-08-5), bisphenol F (CAS 620-92-8), bisphenol S (CAS 80-09-1) and 4-cumylphenol (CAS 599-64-4) have the potential to exhibit ED properties similar to BPA. Studies of the 19 fluorinated substances showed endocrine activity as well, however, in a more varied way and with less significant effects. Rosenmai has further developed a test strategy to identify problematic compounds in paper and board food packaging. The strategy consists of a step-by-step procedure, in which advanced analytical chemistry tools and various cell-based tests are used. Using this approach, five chemicals with endocrine disruption potential were identified in two types of food packaging (pizza box, sandwich wrapper). The EDCs identified included, amongst others, BPA and two phthalates that are all known to be endocrine active in animal tests. The novel strategy can be used when evaluating new paper and board packaging, Rosenmai explains.
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DTU Food (March 18, 2015). “Paper and board food packaging contains endocrine active chemicals.”
