Food packaging is essential for preserving food quality and extending shelf life, but it also poses environmental and health risks due to resource use, pollution, and chemical exposure. While many tools help assess environmental impacts, chemical safety has so far lacked a solid evidence-based approach. To address this gap, we created the FCCprio List - a list of priority Food Contact Chemicals (FCCs) [1] - and integrated it into the Understanding Packaging (UP) Scorecard to support more holistic, sustainable packaging decisions. The FCCprio List was created by applying the evidence-based PlastChem methodology [2] to the more than 15’000 known FCCs [3,4]. Using officially recognized (harmonized) hazard data, chemicals were prioritized if they met any of the following criteria: PBT (persistent, bioaccumulative & toxic), vPvB (very persistent & very bioaccumulative), PMT (persistent, mobile & toxic), vPvM (very persistent & very mobile), carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic for reproduction, toxic for specific target organs upon repeated exposure, or endocrine disrupting. Prioritized FCCs were subsequently ranked into four tiers based on their evidence for human exposure from food contact materials (FCMs) [3,4,5]. To enhance usability, FCCs were also grouped by chemical structure. In total, 1’222 FCCs are hazardous based on harmonized hazard data sources. Of these, 94 FCCs migrate from FCMs and have been detected in human biomonitoring programs (Tier 1). The remaining 1'128 FCCs have not been detected in human biomonitoring programs, of these, 264 chemicals migrate from FCMs (Tier 2), 224 have been detected in FCMs (Tier 3), and 640 FCCs have not been detected experimentally but are potentially used in the production of in FCMs (Tier 4). Of all known FCCs, 12’317 (81%) currently lack harmonized hazard data and cannot be considered for prioritization. The FCCprio List helps to identify, screen, and avoid the most hazardous chemicals in FCMs and supports the development of safe and sustainable food packaging. Integrating it into the UP Scorecard empowers decision-makers to navigate the complex trade-offs inherent in food packaging choices and facilitates the transition toward products that minimize impacts on both environmental and human health.

References

1. H. Wiesinger, L.V. Parkinson, B. Geueke, J. M. Boucher, E. Cabane, L. Zimmermann, J. Muncke, "Food Contact Chemicals Priority (FCCprio) List" Zenodo, 2025.  DOI:10.5281/zenodo.14881618
2. M. Wagner, L. Monclús, H. P. H. Arp, K. J. Groh, M. E. Løseth, J. Muncke, Z. Wang, R. Wolf, L. Zimmermann, “State of the science on plastic chemicals – Identifying and addressing chemicals and polymers of concern” Zenodo, 2024, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10701706.
3. K. J. Groh, B. Geueke, O. V. Martin, M. V. Maffini, J. Muncke, Environment International, 2021, 150, 106225. DOI:10.1016/j.envint.2020.106225
4. B. Geueke, K. J. Groh, M. V. Maffini, O. V. Martin, J. M. Boucher, Y. Chiang, F. Gwosdz, P. Jieh, C. D. Kassotis, P. Łańska, J. Peterson Myers, A. Odermatt, L. V. Parkinson, V. N. Schreier, V. Srebny, L. Zimmermann, M. Scheringer, J. Muncke, Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 2023, 63, 9425-9435. DOI:10.1080/10408398.2022.2067828
5. B. Geueke, L. V. Parkinson, K. J. Groh, C. D. Kassotis, M. V. Maffini, O. V. Martin, L. Zimmermann, M. Scheringer, J. Muncke, Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology. 2025, 35, 330-341. DOI:10.1038/s41370-024-00718-2