Nearly 70 “forever chemicals”, also known as PFAS, are commonly found in materials that come into contact with food, some of which have been linked to negative health outcomes
By Chen Ly
19 March 2024
Potentially hazardous chemicals may be in food packaging
Pilin Petunyia/Getty Images
Food packaging and utensils commonly contain up to 68 “forever chemicals” that carry possible health risks, with regulators potentially being unaware of the presence of many of them.
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic chemicals that are used to produce goods such as non-stick cookware and waterproof clothing. The bonds between the carbon and fluorine atoms in PFAS are so strong that it can take hundreds to thousands of years for them to break down.
Many of these chemicals have been linked to harmful health outcomes, including cancer and reproductive and immune problems.
Advertisement
Read more
Are you truly healthy? These new tests provide the ultimate check-up
“There are thousands of these chemicals,” says Birgit Geueke at the Food Packaging Forum organisation in Switzerland. “We wanted to get a picture of what is known about the presence of PFAS in food packaging.”
Geueke and her colleagues analysed 1312 studies carried out around the world that detailed the chemicals that come into contact with food, which could occur during manufacturing, packaging or cooking. They then cross-referenced these chemicals to a list of known PFAS.