BfR removes anthraquinone from its list of recommendations for food packaging

The substance anthraquinone is used in the production of paper and cardboard, including food packaging. Anthraquinone contained in the packaging can contaminate food. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) took the publication of an expert opinion of the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) published in 2012 as an opportunity to reassess the use of anthraquinone in the manufacture of paper intended for food contact. 
In its opinion on anthraquinone as an active pesticide ingredient, the EFSA concludes that carcinogenic effects cannot be ruled out for anthraquinone and that the hazard potential for mammals cannot be determined unequivocally. Animal experiments show that anthraquinone can have a carcinogenic effect on the kidneys and liver. The International Association for Research and Cancer (IARC) classifies the substance as a possible carcinogen for humans (“Group 2B”). 
For the presence of anthraquinone in food, a maximum residue level of 0.01 mg per kilogramme of food has been defined for Europe, irrespective of whether the residue originated from a pesticide or some other source. 
The BfR has estimated that anthraquinone contamination from paper and cardboard can exceed the permitted residue limit of 0.01 mg per kilogramme of food. In addition, the BfR has information on cases where the permitted residue limit value for anthraquinone was exceeded in tea which can be attributed to the anthraquinone levels contained in the paper and cardboard used as packaging materials. 
In consequence, the BfR withdraws its recommendation for the use of anthraquinone in the manufacture of paper intended for food contact. In addition, the institute will lobby for a harmonised categorisation of the health hazard posed by the substance as part of the European chemicals legislation (REACH regulation).