Under the supervision of the Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Professor Dr. Sarmed H. Kathem Alkhateeb, the Continuing Education Unit at the University of Baghdad/College of Pharmacy, held an in-person workshop entitled “Toxic Chemicals in Food Packaging,” delivered by Lecturer Shayma Luay Abdulhadi and pharmacist Zahraa Nadim Raddi, faculty members at the Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department.The workshop aimed to give information on the harmful effects of the tools used to store food and drinks on human health. The workshop included several topics including types of materials used to preserve food and beverages, the chemicals in their composition, the extent to which they can leak into food and beverages, and the resulting effects on human health. The presence of toxic chemicals in food packaging is an issue that has increasingly gained attention in the scientific community, revealing alarming statistics about the substances that migrate from food packaging into the foods we consume. According to the research, more than 3,600 chemicals have been identified as capable of leaching into food from various forms of packaging, such as plastics, cans, and coated papers. This raises critical concerns about the potential health risks for consumers, especially when considering the long-term exposure to these substances.The extent of how much migration occurs depends on various factors, including: food temperature, storage time, size of the packaging surface in contact with food, whether a food is acidic or fatty, or how much food is touching the container. In addition, it is not recommended microwaving or dishwashing plastic food containers.The workshop concluded the necessity of using tools that do not harm humans or the environment when preserving food and drinks like glass and cooking in stainless steel pots.
