How can food packaging become indirect food additives?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The FDA ensures the safety of food packaging and assesses whether packaging materials might migrate into foods. These materials include coatings on can interiors, plastics, papers, and sealants. Some microwave products are sold in “active packaging” that helps cook the food; for example, pizzas are often heated on a metalized film laminated to paperboard.
This film absorbs the microwave energy in the oven and reaches temperatures as high as 500°F. At such temperatures, packaging components migrate into the food. For this reason, manufacturers must perform specific tests to determine whether materials are migrating into foods. If they are, their safety must be confirmed by strict procedures similar to those governing intentional additives.
Most microwave products are sold in “passive packaging” that is transparent to microwaves and simply holds the food as it cooks. These containers don’t get much hotter than the foods, but materials still migrate at high temperatures. Consumers should not reuse these containers in the microwave oven. Instead they should use only glass or ceramic containers labeled as microwave safe; tiny air bubbles in some glass may expand when microwaved, causing the glass to break and glazes on some ceramics to leach, contaminating the food. In the United States, these ceramic containers cannot be sold without a permanent marking stating “Not for food use.” Similarly, use only plastic wraps labeled as microwave-safe. Avoid using disposable styrofoam or plastic containers such as those used for carryout or margarine.
Similarly, a chemical known as bisphenol A (BPA) can leach from hardplastic bottles and coatings of some food cans into food and beverages. The FDA has some concern about the potential health effects of BPA and is taking steps to reduce exposure in the food supply, including banning its use in baby bottles and sippy cups. Bisphenol S (BPS), a chemically related compound, has been used as a replacement in BPA-free products and has the same toxic effects. Consumers who want to limit their exposure to toxic plastics should know that containers marked with recycle codes 3 or 7 may be made with BPA; those marked 6 contain polystyrene. The safest choices for food use are numbers 1, 2, 4, and 5. In addition, consumers should not use any plastic containers for hot foods or liquids.
To limit contamination and waste from packaging, some manufacturers are creating food wrappers and containers that are edible and soluble. For example, coatings similar to those used to cover pills might encase powdered cocoa; when dropped into hot water, the casing dissolves