TOXICITY FROM FOOD PROCESSING AND

PACKAGING MATERIALS
MARIA HARIS
CONSULTANT DIETITIAN, LECTURER
• Food processing involves numerous operations starting from cleaning
raw materials and preparatory operations to the delicate and
complicated process of product development and preservation
• During these operations foods come in contact with different
equipment
• These processing operations may result in changes and contamination
of the food
• Even the natural harmless and nutritious food components may
convert into toxic substances
• Food after processing must be packaged into suitable containers for
the market
• Some different types of chemicals from the packaging may migrate
into the food and result in toxicity to the consumer
Toxicity from processing equipment
• Most metals and inorganic materials are required in the human body in
minute quantities
• Their presence in the body above certain levels may pose health hazards
• Metals entered the body through inhalation of polluted air e.g. lead
• Drinking water e.g. zinc or consumption of foods
• Foods get contaminated with toxic chemicals accidentally e.g. barium
carbonated
• Or by deliberate act e.g. food adulterants
• Or may pick up the metals during growth e.g. lead from polluted air,
selenium from soil, or mercury from polluted waters
• Foods also get contaminated by cooking or processing equipment e.g.
copper, lead and tin
• Water may pick them up from water pipes e.g. lead and zinc
• Although the human body has mechanisms to excrete these metals,
some tend to accumulate in the tissues
• When the concentrations of metal reach beyond the tolerance limit
symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain may appear
suddenly
• Heavy metals that cause toxicity include aluminium, antimony cobalt,
copper, lead and mercury, tin and zinc
• Antimony, arsenic and zinc poisoning are more common in societies
that use low-quality enamel vessels for cooking and processing
• Acidic foods (fruits, tomatoes) when cooked or stored in such utensils
react with the metal, forming salt that contaminates the food
• Similarly, cadmium is dissolved from cadmium-plated utensils by
acidic foods
• Stainless steel now commonly used in homes has considerably
reduced the chances of food contamination by metals
• Most kitchenware and food processing equipment are now
manufactured from stainless steel that does not react with foods
under usual processing conditions
• Food processing equipment manufactured from aluminium, copper or
iron is known to contaminate food with metals
• Toxicity by aluminium results in gastrointestinal irritation and rickets
• Copper toxicity causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and severe
abdominal pain
• Iron toxicity results in enlargement of the liver, pigmentation of the
skin, DM, and cardiac failure
• Water supply pipes constructed with zinc and lead also contaminate
foods
• Zinc toxicity results in irritability, stiffness and pain in muscles of the
back and neck, and loss of appetite,
• Toxicity from metals can be prevented by using equipment
manufactured from stainless steel and glass
Toxicity from food processing operations
• During food processing different types of chemicals are produced
some of which may cause toxicity
• Maillard reaction between sugars and amino acids is responsible for
producing toxic substances
• Heterocyclic aromatic amines are formed in protein and amino acid-
rich foods at temp above 150 degrees celcius
• More than 20 heterocyclic aromatic amines have been identified out
of which 10 have carcinogenic potential
Toxicity from hydrogenation of oils
• Partially hydrogenated oil (baked goods) has high amounts of trans
fatty acids
• Trans fatty acids that originate from the hardening process increase
the LDL cholesterol and lower the HDL cholesterol in plasma
• Moreover, trans fatty acids are suspected to interfere with the
metabolism of essential fatty acids
Toxicity from heating of fats and oils
• Oil and fat when heated in the presence of oxygen form hydroperoxides
• Overheated fat irritates the gastric system
• Polymerization of oil and fat under high temperatures can also take place
without oxygen
• Chemical compounds formed during deep frying are: aldehydes, free fatty
acids, alcohols, lactones, esters, ketones, aromatic compounds and
epoxides
• Peroxides of polyunsaturated fatty acids are the most toxic among these
• Peroxides of polyunsaturated fatty acids are also formed without strong
heating
• Atmospheric oxygen can originate peroxides when insufficient antioxidants
like alpha-tocopherol are present
• Vegetable fats and oils that do not have sufficient natural vitamin E are not
protected from oxidation
• Excessive heating and long-term storage reduces the natural antioxidant
systems
• Sometimes processing of food destroys natural tocopherols
• Strong heating and long storage of oils and fats should be avoided
• Edible oils contain tocopherols
• Lipid peroxides damage the human cell membrane, signal transduction
and permeability of the cell membrane
• To avoid the formation of lipid peroxides natural antioxidant such as
vitamin E is essential
• Prolonged and consistent heating of cooking fats as in deep fat frying
gives rise to carcinogens
• In the case of fried foods such as pakora, samosa, potato chips,
French fries and fish, the frying process starts in the morning and
ends late at night
• During the day time frying oil is continuously heated, additional oil is
added when the level falls below a certain limit while the spent oil
remains in the pan
• Similar prolonged heating occurs in “puri” making and manufacturing
of nimko
• In such oils carcinogenic acrylamide is formed that may cause cancer
in humans
Toxicity from barbequed foods
• During barbeque, carcinogens such as polycyclic aromatic carbon and
polycyclic aromatic hydrogen are formed when fat drips from grill
foods
• These are brought back with smoke and flames to contaminate the
food
• Imagin the situation in Pakistan, where people relish the grilled
“seekh kebab” and “tikka”
• Shawarma is a better substitute for direct grilling on fire
• In this technique, heat is applied from the side of the meat, no
contamination from meat juice occurs in this system and the
consumer remains safe
Toxicity from refining
• Refined foods are responsible for not only the loss of nutrients but also
implicated in food toxicity
• Household sugar is manufactured from sugar cane or sugar beet
• During the refining process all other components are removed and pure
white sugar is obtained
• Raw sugar “shakkar” and “gur” from sugar cane contains mineral
elements and vitamins which provide benefits to human
• Refined sugar is responsible for diabetes. Heart problems, dental carries
and constipation
• In flour milling, wheat bran is removed results in constipation which is
regarded as the “mother of diseases”
Prevention
• Toxicity from food processing equipment and processing can be
prevented by following GMP & avoiding food processing operations
that can be toxic
• To avoid the production of heterocyclic and polycyclic aromatic toxic
compounds care should be taken not to overheat foods, discard burnt
parts, and refrain from food prepared by direct grilling on charcoal
• Deep frying should not exceed the temp of 180 degrees Celsius
• Heating time should be short
• Intermittent heating and cooling should be avoided because it leads
to polymerization of fats
Toxic compounds from packaging
materials
• Food packaging is a very vital operation in the food industry
• The main function of food packaging is to allow safe transport of food
from the producer to the consumer
• The package also protects food from spoilage agent
• Several types and kinds of packaging materials are used
• These include plastics, paper, plastic films, metal, glass and wood
• The main rule for the selection of packaging material is that it should
not impart colour, flavour and odour to the foodstuff and it should be
non-toxic
Toxicity from plastic materials
• Plastic is the term applied to a wide range of synthetic/semisynthetic
organic amorphous solid materials that can be shaped by the application
of heat and pressure
• Plastics employed for the manufacture of food packaging materials may
contain traces of toxic chemicals
• According to some estimates almost 48% of food is packaged in them
• Common plastic materials used in food packaging are polyvinyl chloride
(PVC) and polyethene (PE)
• PET (polyethene terephthalate), HDPE (high-density polyethene), LDPE
(low-density polyethene), PP (polypropylene), and PS (polystyrene) are
some other members of the plastic family which are uncommon in food
packaging
• In the production of PVC, chlorine is a major ingredient
• Chlorine-based chemicals when heated in the presence of
hydrocarbons form dioxin which is a carcinogen
• It also disturbs the hormonal system of human beings
• Polyethylene contains a hexachloroethane which is regarded as a
human carcinogen
• Polyethylene terephthalate is commonly used in the production of
soft drink bottles, water bottles, and cooking oil bottles
• During the production of PET bottles, phthalates and antimony
trioxide are added to make the bottles flexible and less brittle
• These compounds disturb hormonal systems and cause premature
breast development in females
• Antimony trioxide is used as a catalyst in PET bottle manufacture
• This compound when leaches in water may have adverse effects on brain and
kidney functions
• High-density polyethylene (HDPE) finds application in detergent bottles and
milk jugs
• Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is used in the production of shopping bags
• Polypropylene PP is commonly found in bottle caps, drinking straws, and
yoghurt containers
• Polystyrene PS is used in the production of cups, plastic tableware, meat
trays and takeaway food clamshell containers
• During the production of these plastic materials toxic substances such as lead
and cadmium are used
• Such substances are hazardous when they leach into the food from the
container
• Polystyrene is a constituent of food containers for packaging cheese,
meat, fish and bakery products
• It releases a monomer styrene which migrates from the package into the
food
• A high concentration of styrene can cause death
• Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are used as plasticizers in plastics and
rubber products
• These are carcinogenic and cause acne-like skin conditions in adults and
produce adverse effects on the nervous system of children
• Due to insolubility in water and relative chemical inertness, pure plastics
have low toxicity in their finished state
• They will pass through GIT with no ill effect other than mechanical
damage or obstructions
• The finished plastic may be non-toxic the monomers used in its
manufacture may be toxic
• Plastics often contain a variety of toxic additives e.g. plasticizers like
adipates and phthalates are added to brittle plastics
• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to make them pliable enough for use in food
packaging
• The EU has imposed a permanent ban on the use of phthalates in
toys
• Toxic effects caused by plastics may include birth defects, cancer,
damage nervous system, blood, kidneys, reproductive and immune
systems
Toxicity from metal containers
• Metal containers are widely used for canning fruits, vegetables, fish and meat
• Tin, aluminium, iron, lead, chromium and copper are commonly employed in
packaging material
• Tin cans are the usual packaging materials in the food canning industry
• The classic tin can consists of electrolytically tin-plated steel, frequently
coated on the inside with an inert material to avoid adverse reactions
between metal and food
• It is not uncommon to find that during the handling of cans, some of them
get damaged resulting in injury to the inner layer and exposing the tin plate
• This allows direct contact between food packed in the can and the tin plate
• Some acidic foods such as tomatoes or citrus juice that contain organic
acids will react with the tin producing salt and hydrogen gas inside the
can
• The gas results in the bulging of the can ends, a condition that also
arises from the growth of gas-forming microorganisms
• Aluminium foils are used in baking and packaging foods
• Aluminium is absorbed from the foil and canned foods
• Exposure to aluminium is not harmful as it is excreted by the kidneys
and only a small amount is absorbed
• Chromium is found in some types of cans and utensils and is also used
to coat other metals
• Toxic aspects of chromium are related to its high absorption and easy
penetration to the cell membrane
• Copper is used in alloys, particularly in nickel and sliver
• Copper when leached into the food results in vomiting, anaemia,
renal and liver damage, increased blood pressure and respiratory
rates
Toxicity from cellulose packaging
• Almost 34% of food is packed in cellulose packaging
• Cellulose is used as folded cartoon boxes, bags and crates for fruits
and vegetables
• Chocolates, boiled sweets, toffees, cakes and meat pies are wrapped
in cellulose films and wax paper
• Cellulose is generally considered safe packaging material
• Wax paper meets all the criteria for selection of this material for food
uses
• Occasionally, paraffin wax gets contaminated with 3, 4-benzopyrene,
this is a carcinogenic and migrates into food from packaging material
• Cardboard packages made from recycled paper may be contaminated
with some highly toxic substances such as polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs)
• Foods packed in such containers are likely to get contaminated with
PCBs that can cause serious health hazards to man
Toxicity from second-hand packaging
material
• In Pakistan, India, Nigeria and many other developing countries
• There is a trend to use sacks which have been used for fertilizers, and
insecticides to store or sell cereal grains, legumes and pulses
• Food stuffs get contaminated with these toxic compounds and pose
health hazards to the consumer
• Old newspapers are common packaging materials
• The printing ink contains toxic substances and can contaminate food,
especially meat
• Empty kerosene tins are frequently used to store cooking oil or water
• Acute toxicity by kerosene causes vomiting, and diarrhoea and can
result in fatality, especially among children
Prevention
• Strict quality control in the production of packaging materials for food
use
• The general public must be enlightened about the reuse of packaging
materials for foodstuff