Most resin users will agree: it doesn’t take long in your resin journey before you come across the question of food safety. Consumers are becoming more aware and more concerned about microplastics in food, and rightly so. The big question that resin users need to contend with is “is it safe to use epoxy on a surface that will be used to serve food?”
The answer is evolving over time – let’s dive in to some details.
You have probably heard that the chemical we all worry about in epoxy is Bisphenol A, or BPA. This chemical is used in the manufacture of many plastics, and is an essential ingredient in all epoxy resins. It is also toxic to humans, even in small amounts. It disrupts the normal function of our hormones, negatively affects fertility and can cause serious eye damage, allergic skin reactions and respiratory irritation.
In its final, fully cured state, epoxy resin contains only trace amounts of BPA. This is because most of it will have reacted away during manufacture. Many epoxy suppliers will rely on this fact to advise the public that epoxy is therefore food safe. They will claim that the amount of BPA in the end result is so tiny that it can’t possibly be harmful – that’s the theory anyway. However as time goes on, it is becoming more and more clear that even tiny amounts of BPA can still be very harmful.
BPA was globally recognised as harmful by several authorities starting around 2011. The European Union banned the use of BPA in baby bottles in 2011. The following year the Food and Drug Administration of the United States (FDA) implemented the same ban. The FDA then extended the ban to infant formula packaging in 2013.
Despite the total ban on the use of BPA in baby bottles, authorities still allowed the use of BPA in food contact materials for children and adults, but with some limits in place. The EU defined a limit on the amount of BPA that could be considered “safe” in 2011. However as research into the health effects of BPA continued, the EU reduced this limit by about 90% in 2018.
Fast forward to February 2024: research into the long term health effects of BPA have continued even further. The findings increasingly show that any amount of BPA is harmful. As a result, the European Commission has proposed legislation that bans the use of BPA in food contact materials entirely, and this ban is widely endorsed in European countries.
Returning to the original question: “Is it safe to use epoxy on a surface that will be used to serve food?” It depends who you ask. As far as the EU is concerned, the answer is a straight up “no”.
Australian and US authorities on food safety have not yet taken the step of banning BPA altogether. For now they maintain that current levels of BPA are acceptable. However, they do recommend that people avoid BPA wherever possible. The global trend towards phasing out BPA is undeniable. Within a few short years it’s possible that epoxy will be ruled out for food contact applications altogether.
Where does this leave you, the resin enthusiast?
We are proud to offer ResinNext as a food safe alternative to epoxy resins. ResinNext is not an epoxy formulation, and is based on much more modern chemical technology. Unlike epoxy, ResinNext does not use BPA or any kind of bisphenol in any stage of production.
BPA aside, ResinNext is considered more food safe than epoxy also due to its superior chemical resistance and lower VOC (volatile organic compound) emissions. Unlike some epoxies, ResinNext cures quickly and thoroughly, reducing the likelihood of harmful chemicals leaching into food. Additionally, ResinNext uses fewer additives and solvents, which means fewer potential contaminants. These properties make ResinNext the obvious choice where food safety is a concern.
In conclusion, food safety is a common question among resin users. The answers differ depending who you ask. It is our opinion that the changing regulatory landscape across the globe demonstrates a clear trend toward eliminating epoxy as a food contact material.
The next time you embark on a resin project, make sure you give food safety considerations their due. Also make sure you take a good long look at our amazing ResinNext. And most of all, enjoy!