Benzophenone UV-Photoinitiators Used in Food Packaging: Potential for Human Exposure and Health Risk Considerations

Abstract

Chemicals that are used in ultraviolet (UV) print inks include benzophenone-based UV-photoinitiators used in printing the surface of food packaging, especially printed cartonboard. Since these inks are not used up in the printing process, these photoinitiators are available to migrate from the printed surface through porous cartonboard and secondary packaging to food and beverages. The UV-photoinitiators benzophenone (BP) and 4-methylbenzophenone (4-MBP) have been detected in paperboard packaging of a wide variety of foods, and migration studies and analysis of packaged foods indicate they can migrate from the packaging to foods and beverages. BP also has been detected in recycled paper fibers and recycled plastics, and can migrate from packaging both under room temperature and frozen storage conditions even when the food is not in direct contact with the packaging. There is limited information on the toxicology of these chemicals and their metabolism in animals or humans. While neither BP nor 4-MBP appears to be genotoxic, BP administration in rodent cancer bioassays indicates it is a possible human carcinogen. A metabolite of BP, 4-hydroxybenzophenone (4-OH BP), is estrogenic, but the estrogenicity of 4-MBP has not been evaluated. Both BP and 4-MBP have been detected in foods above regulatory specific migration limits and have been the subject of food recalls in Europe. Further research is needed on levels of UV-photoinitiators in food packaging in the global food supply and effective secondary packaging to prevent migration to foodstuffs. More extensive toxicological studies are needed on this class of chemicals to better determine potential risks to human populations.