To achieve sustainability in light of growing environmental concerns and shifting regulations around plastics, the production of single-use food contact materials (FCMs) made from biodegradable polymers is becoming more common. However, these FCMs may carry unique food safety risks; for example, rye- and wheat-based FCMs can transfer gluten into foods, sickening consumers with celiac disease or wheat allergy. In the EU, where some single-use plastics have been banned (facilitating the rise of biodegradable polymers in FCMs), legislation does not require allergen labelling on FCMs containing gluten.

In a recent study, researchers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany examined the extent of gluten migration from six different FCMs into a variety of liquid and solid foods to provide a more comprehensive basis for assessing the risk of exposure for wheat allergy and celiac disease patients. Tested materials included biodegradable plates, forks, knives, straws, and cups made from wheat bran, a combination of wheat bran and polylactic acid, durum wheat semolina, a combination of durum wheat semolina and wheat gluten, rye stalks, and a combination of oat bran and wheat flour.