Microplastics in food packaging: Analytical methods, health risks, and sustainable alternatives

Abstract

• Microplastics in food packaging: The review explores the prevalence of microplastics in daily food and beverage packaging, emphasizing their potential migration into the packaged food. • Analytical methods: Various analytical methods for detecting microplastics in food packaging are discussed, highlighting the need for specialized migration assays due to the time-sensitive and unique conditions required. • Environmental focus: With growing global packaging standards and increased public awareness, the paper stresses the necessity for new packaging materials that prioritize environmental sustainability, food safety, and quality. • Biodegradable polymers: The review suggests biodegradable polymers as a promising alternative to non-biodegradable food packaging, presenting them as viable solutions for eco-friendly packaging. • Challenges and opportunities: Opportunities and challenges associated with eco-friendly packaging are addressed, providing insights into emerging technological approaches for sample preparation and microplastic quantification. Microplastic contamination originating from food packaging has emerged as a critical public health concern due to its potential for migration into food products and chronic human exposure. Despite a growing body of research, gaps remain in the standardization of analytical techniques, risk assessment frameworks, and sustainable mitigation strategies. This review provides a comprehensive and critical evaluation of the occurrence, release mechanisms, and health risks associated with MPs in food packaging. Unlike existing reviews, we offer a comparative analysis of recent methodological advancements, including high-resolution spectroscopic and thermal techniques, and critically assess their strengths, limitations, and inter-study discrepancies. We further identify the most vulnerable food categories based on polymer type, packaging format, and storage conditions. To address mitigation, we evaluate emerging biodegradable and bio-based alternatives alongside policy frameworks, highlighting implementation bottlenecks and industry inertia. By synthesizing interdisciplinary findings and outlining actionable research priorities, this work offers a roadmap for advancing food packaging safety, regulatory alignment, and sustainable innovation.