The free online course "Consumers and Environmental Safety: Food Packaging and Cookware" will take place in November

  • Amparo López Rubio, researcher at IATA-CSIC, will give classes along with other international professionals in the field.

  • The total duration is 5 weeks and is aimed at a general public

Food safety is a highly controlled and sector in the European Union.  One aspect that is often underestimated is the migration of chemicals from food contact materials and packaging into food and drinks that we consume daily. In particular, those chemicals that – at low doses and for prolonged times – may impact our delicate endocrine system. The effects become evident when we think about the reduced male fertility, the anticipated female puberty and the thyroid and metabolic disturbances on the rise in our societies.

The safety of chemicals present in packaging and contact materials also concerns the environment. They can directly alter natural reproductive cycles and the ecosystems or can accumulate in non-recyclable forms, such as the plastics. Peoples’ sensitivity to these issues is rising, and clarity and knowledge are needed to better comprehend and face these current threats.

On November 9th, the University of Torino, supported by funding from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), is launching a new interactive online course entitled:  Consumers and Environmental Safety: Food Packaging and Kitchenware. The course will last for 5-weeks, is free for all and is in English. The course is prepared for a vast and generic audience, particularly those interested in knowing more about several safety aspects related to food and drinks, the potential health risks derived from packaging and contact materials.  The course will include video lessons, articles, interviews, visit laboratories, discussions and activities for the students.

The course is prepared from teachers at the University of TORINO (Giorgio Merlo and Claudio Medana from the Dept of Biotechnology and Patrizia Bovolin from the Dept of Life Sciences) and international teachers (Amparo Lopez Rubio from IATA-CSIC SPAIN, Natalia Drabinska from Polish Academy of Sciences POLAND, and Isabel Hoffman, CEO, TellSpec LTD. (a UK company)

The course is of definite interest for all consumers in general for pregnant women, parents, families and anyone that pays attention to the chemicals we are exposed to and the potential threat that these may pose to our health and the environment.  The course is also ideal for: workers of the food/drink production chain, investors that want to invest in eco-friendly and natural materials, high-school and university students, researchers in chemistry, biology, epidemiology, endocrinology and paediatry. 

Several subjects and professions are implicated in Food Packaging and the protection of global health: from doctors and researchers to consumers’ associations, from production companies to journalists and legislators.  Only a strong synergy between all the stakeholders could prepare our societies to face this complex issue better and in particular health protection. Two aspects appear most critical: transparency and dissemination of scientific results.  As a direct and positive consequence, citizens will gain increased awareness of the current situation and grow resilience against excessive alarmism and fake news.  

Sign up here

More detailed information about the course