FAO warns recycled food packaging could introduce chemical contamination risks without tougher global safety standards and science-based risk assessments.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has warned food manufacturers and packaging suppliers that the rapid shift towards recycled plastic food packaging must not outpace food safety controls.
In a new report published this week, Food safety implications of recycled plastics and alternative food contact materials, the FAO called for stronger risk assessments and globally harmonised regulations to tackle potential chemical contamination linked to recycled plastics and alternative food contact materials (FCMs).
We want to recycle more plastic, but we also want to make sure that by solving one problem we don’t create new problems.
Food safety must be a central consideration in the transition towards more sustainable agrifood systems and food consumption patterns.”
Corinna Hawkes, Director of the Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division at FAO
The warning comes as food manufacturers face mounting pressure to reduce plastic waste while meeting growing demand for packaged foods, including snacks, ready meals, confectionery, fast food and bottled beverages. The global food packaging market, valued at $505.27bn in 2024, is forecast to reach $815.51bn by 2030.
Concerns grow over chemical contamination risks
The FAO said food contact materials remain essential for extending shelf life, protecting product quality and reducing food waste. However, the organisation warned that recycled plastics could introduce chemical contaminants into food if recyclers and packaging producers fail to strengthen decontamination and waste sorting processes.
The report highlighted several emerging risks for the sector, including contamination from pesticides, allergens and natural toxins in bio-based packaging materials made from crops such as corn, sugarcane and cassava.
The FAO also raised concerns about the growing use of nanomaterials and other intentionally added substances designed to improve packaging performance and support active packaging technologies.
Microplastics and nanoplastics remain another major challenge, according to the report. The organisation said regulators still lack validated analytical methods to detect and identify these particles consistently in food and beverages, preventing clear assessments of potential risks to human health.
The FAO urged the industry to improve waste stream controls and separate food-grade plastics before recycling to reduce contamination risks. It also warned that inconsistent global regulations for food contact materials could create future trade barriers as countries adopt different safety requirements.
The findings will feed into ongoing discussions at the Codex Alimentarius Commission, established by FAO and the World Health Organization to develop international food standards and guidelines.
According to the FAO, harmonised global regulations would help the food industry carry out robust science-based risk assessments while supporting international efforts to cut plastic waste.
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