What’s in the Package? Unveiling the Toxic Secrets of Food and Beverage Packaging

Publication Date: August 2016 | Clean Water Action & Clean Water Action Fund

I n 1906, Upton Sinclair’s novel The Jungle1 shocked the American public with its horrific exposé of the meat processing industry. Four months after the book was published, Congress passed the first restrictions on food processing. Congress took broader action in 1938 by passing the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requiring ingredient labels, detailed information about when and where food is grown and processed, and regulation of how it is packaged. It led Americans to believe the U.S. had the highest standards for a safe food supply. But in recent years, American confidence in the safety of the U.S. food supply has been eroding, from 78% in 2012 to 61% in 2015, with concern about chemicals in food overtaking fear of food borne illness as Americans’ top food safety concern. Americans care deeply about the safety of the foods they eat. When they receive information about potential health threats, U.S. consumers respond through purchasing decisions.

There are about 10,000 chemicals that are used as direct food additives (purposely added to food). For the most part, consumers have no idea what chemicals are added to the foods they eat or what potential health threats are associated with them because the identities and risks of these chemicals are shrouded in secrecy. Even less is known about the 4,000-6,000 chemicals used in food packaging as the safety of a majority of these “indirect food additives” has not been determined.

This report investigates the issue of chemicals in food packaging and their impact on the safety of what American consumers eat and drink. While the report focuses specifically on the packaging issue, its insight into systemic regulatory failure and recommendations about how to fix the problems are equally applicable to direct food additives. Read More >>