Market and safety analysis of alternatives to plastic food packaging

The remit of this project is to investigate the health and economic implications of plastic food packaging alternatives. These materials are less researched and potentially risky to health, directly and indirectly (e.g. decreasing shelf life). Further, the market for bio-based food contact materials is growing, spurred by advancing research in the field, consumer interest in plastic alternatives, and governmental incentives to reduce plastic use, such as a tax on virgin plastic packaging. Their use comes with potential direct and indirect economic impacts. For instance, new materials come with new production and disposal costs, and the plastic packaging tax could result in increased prices for consumers, though this outcome is not seen as very likely. This project articulates the state of the research by analysing academic and ‘grey’ literature and conducting expert interviews. A systematic literature scan was used used ScienceDirect for recent (2015-present) studies to understand the current landscape of research on plastics alternatives. It employed as search terms: ‘bioplastics’; ‘bio-based plastics’; ‘plastic alternatives’; ‘bio-based food contact materials’; ‘bio-based food packaging’; ‘safety’; and ‘compostable food packaging’. Results were filtered for ‘review articles’, ‘research articles’, or ‘other’. The 35 results underwent a title then abstract review. Articles were excluded that did not mention food contact applications for bioplastics or focused on a different application, such as medical. Fourteen articles were ultimately included, half of which studied one type of plastic alternative, while the remainder discussed multiple polymers. Interviews were conducted with FSA members as well as experts outside the Agency. (See appendices in the report for review findings and an interview list.)