Consumer and Environmental Safety: Food Packaging and Kitchenware

Food safety is highly regulated. Yet, one blind spot is the migration of molecules from contact materials in kitchenware into food. Particular attention needs to be placed on chemicals present at low doses but acting on the endocrine system over a long time. In this course, you’ll learn about these endocrine disrupters and their potential impact on human health and the environment. You’ll evaluate how chemicals can migrate from packaging and slowly affect our endocrine health, and how tests can check for safety. Ultimately, you’ll better understand how we can improve food safety in general.

• What are the potential risks for global health and for the environment derived from packaging?
• Which stakeholders are involved in the safety of packaging and how are these connected?
• How is research in chemistry, biology and material science contributing towards safer food?
• What is the role that consumers play in order to improve safety?
• What measures do the industry, governments and the EU put in place to ensure safe packaging?
• How can information and communication technologies reach the general public and help in daily choices?

• This course is for anyone interested in potential health risks derived from food packaging and kitchenware, and in particular from chemicals migrating from packaging into food and drink.This could include healthcare workers, parents, pregnant women, and anyone with an interest in health and food safety.