{"id":22598,"date":"2026-01-21T08:18:58","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T08:18:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.teamplast-srl.it\/?p=22598"},"modified":"2026-01-12T08:37:48","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T08:37:48","slug":"microplastiche-nei-materiali-per-alimenti","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teamplast-srl.it\/en\/microplastiche-nei-materiali-per-alimenti\/","title":{"rendered":"EFSA and microplastics in food materials: the study that puts alarmism to rest"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-start=\"438\" data-end=\"1026\">In recent years, a strong debate has arisen on the risks associated with the presence of <strong data-start=\"522\" data-end=\"540\">microplastics<\/strong> And <strong data-start=\"543\" data-end=\"560\">nanoplastics<\/strong> in foods, with particular attention to the role of <strong data-start=\"617\" data-end=\"658\">materials in contact with food<\/strong> (MOCA), including plastic packaging. Some media outlets have often raised alarms, fueling concerns among consumers and industry. However, according to an in-depth review of the scientific literature published by <strong data-start=\"901\" data-end=\"942\">EFSA (European Food Safety Authority)<\/strong> The <strong data-start=\"946\" data-end=\"965\">October 21, 2025<\/strong>, the issue is much more complex and must be read carefully.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"1028\" data-end=\"1064\">What the EFSA study really says<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1066\" data-end=\"1310\">EFSA has systematically analysed <strong data-start=\"1105\" data-end=\"1135\">1,711 scientific articles<\/strong> published between 2015 and January 20, 2025. Of these, <strong data-start=\"1192\" data-end=\"1222\">122 were selected<\/strong> for data analysis, with a further 8 publications included to support the context.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1312\" data-end=\"1504\">The aim of the study was to evaluate the effective <strong data-start=\"1362\" data-end=\"1414\">release of microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs)<\/strong> from MOCA materials during their daily use. The review focused on:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1505\" data-end=\"1611\">\n<li data-start=\"1505\" data-end=\"1528\">\n<p data-start=\"1507\" data-end=\"1528\">release mode,<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1529\" data-end=\"1549\">\n<p data-start=\"1531\" data-end=\"1549\">quantities detected,<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1550\" data-end=\"1572\">\n<p data-start=\"1552\" data-end=\"1572\">test conditions,<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1573\" data-end=\"1611\">\n<p data-start=\"1575\" data-end=\"1611\">reliability of the methods used.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-start=\"1613\" data-end=\"1661\">Microplastics detected, but little reliable data<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1663\" data-end=\"1908\">One of the main findings of the study is that <strong data-start=\"1711\" data-end=\"1758\">microplastics can be released<\/strong>, especially in the presence of <strong data-start=\"1790\" data-end=\"1810\">mechanical stress<\/strong> (such as abrasion or rubbing) or when the material has <strong data-start=\"1873\" data-end=\"1907\">porous or damaged structures<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1910\" data-end=\"2246\">However, EFSA underlines that <strong data-start=\"1940\" data-end=\"2004\">the available data are fragmentary and often unreliable<\/strong>. Most of the research has used <strong data-start=\"2052\" data-end=\"2081\">water or simulating liquids<\/strong> to replicate contact with food, but only <strong data-start=\"2130\" data-end=\"2194\">few studies have been conducted with real food products<\/strong>, thus reducing the representativeness of the results.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2248\" data-end=\"2307\">Furthermore, many researches present <strong data-start=\"2283\" data-end=\"2306\">methodological limitations<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"2308\" data-end=\"2462\">\n<li data-start=\"2308\" data-end=\"2334\">\n<p data-start=\"2310\" data-end=\"2334\">non-standardized tests;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2335\" data-end=\"2380\">\n<p data-start=\"2337\" data-end=\"2380\">difficulties in preparing samples;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2381\" data-end=\"2416\">\n<p data-start=\"2383\" data-end=\"2416\">unvalidated analytical techniques;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2417\" data-end=\"2462\">\n<p data-start=\"2419\" data-end=\"2462\">high risk of <strong data-start=\"2435\" data-end=\"2461\">external contamination<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2464\" data-end=\"2570\">These critical issues make it difficult to accurately assess <strong data-start=\"2523\" data-end=\"2569\">the actual amount of particles released<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"2572\" data-end=\"2603\">The case of nanoplastics<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2605\" data-end=\"2890\">As for the <strong data-start=\"2628\" data-end=\"2645\">nanoplastics<\/strong>, EFSA highlights that <strong data-start=\"2666\" data-end=\"2702\">data is practically absent<\/strong>. This lack represents one of the major gaps in current scientific literature and makes it impossible, at present, to estimate consumer exposure with any certainty.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2892\" data-end=\"3047\">In many cases, in fact, the detected particles may not even be plastic, but <strong data-start=\"2982\" data-end=\"3005\">additives, oligomers<\/strong> or <strong data-start=\"3008\" data-end=\"3019\">residues<\/strong> coming from other sources.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"3049\" data-end=\"3103\">No alarm: exposure is not quantifiable<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"3105\" data-end=\"3494\">Despite growing interest in the topic, EFSA concludes that <strong data-start=\"3169\" data-end=\"3202\">there is not enough evidence<\/strong> to reliably estimate consumer exposure to microplastics and nanoplastics released from food packaging. This is therefore a <strong data-start=\"3358\" data-end=\"3419\">scientific confirmation that puts media fears into perspective<\/strong> and calls for greater caution in spreading alarmist news.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3496\" data-end=\"3557\">EFSA instead invites the scientific community to invest in:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"3558\" data-end=\"3716\">\n<li data-start=\"3558\" data-end=\"3605\">\n<p data-start=\"3560\" data-end=\"3605\"><strong data-start=\"3560\" data-end=\"3604\">more robust and standardized methodologies<\/strong>;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3606\" data-end=\"3646\">\n<p data-start=\"3608\" data-end=\"3646\">realistic tests with <strong data-start=\"3628\" data-end=\"3645\">real foods<\/strong>;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3647\" data-end=\"3716\">\n<p data-start=\"3649\" data-end=\"3716\">more precise analyses to distinguish plastics from other substances.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-start=\"3723\" data-end=\"3800\">Why this study is important for the flexible packaging industry<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"3802\" data-end=\"4178\">For a company like <strong data-start=\"3822\" data-end=\"3839\">Teamplast Srl<\/strong>, specialized in the production of <strong data-start=\"3875\" data-end=\"3914\">flexible packaging in LDPE and HDPE<\/strong> Certified for food use, this study represents a fundamental point of reference. Teamplast has always adopted a responsible approach to the design of its packaging, placing <strong data-start=\"4114\" data-end=\"4143\">safety and sustainability<\/strong> at the centre of production choices.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4180\" data-end=\"4422\">The quality of the materials, the <strong data-start=\"4209\" data-end=\"4243\">compliance with MOCA regulations<\/strong> and monitoring scientific developments are key elements in ensuring reliable, safe products that meet the expectations of an increasingly aware market.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4424\" data-end=\"4638\">This EFSA study demonstrates how <strong data-start=\"4460\" data-end=\"4515\">it is essential to rely on rigorous scientific data<\/strong> and not on distorted perceptions. Only in this way is responsible innovation possible in the food packaging sector.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4662\" data-end=\"4946\">The study <a href=\"https:\/\/efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/abs\/10.2903\/sp.efsa.2025.EN-9733\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>EFSA<\/strong> <\/a>sheds light on a very current issue: the possible release of microplastics from materials in contact with food. Current evidence shows that the phenomenon exists, but in <strong data-start=\"4864\" data-end=\"4895\">unquantifiable quantities<\/strong> And <strong data-start=\"4898\" data-end=\"4945\">without certain data on the health impact<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4948\" data-end=\"5155\">For <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.teamplast-srl.it\/en\/contatti\/\">Teamplast<\/a> <\/strong>it&#039;s one more reason to <strong data-start=\"4985\" data-end=\"5049\">continue to invest in safety, traceability and quality<\/strong>, offering solutions of <strong data-start=\"5073\" data-end=\"5109\">certified flexible packaging<\/strong>, safe and compliant with European regulations.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Negli ultimi anni si \u00e8 acceso un forte dibattito sui rischi legati alla presenza di microplastiche e nanoplastiche negli alimenti, con particolare attenzione al ruolo dei materiali a contatto con&#8230;<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":22608,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-22598","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teamplast-srl.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22598","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teamplast-srl.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teamplast-srl.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teamplast-srl.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teamplast-srl.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22598"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.teamplast-srl.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22598\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22600,"href":"https:\/\/www.teamplast-srl.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22598\/revisions\/22600"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teamplast-srl.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22608"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teamplast-srl.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teamplast-srl.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teamplast-srl.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}