‘Forever chemicals’ or PFAS have infiltrated food packaging on a wide scale

Food packaging and utensils often contain up to 68 “forever chemicals” that can pose health risks, many of which may not be recognized by regulators.

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic chemicals used in the production of goods such as nonstick cookware and waterproof clothing. The bonds between the carbon and fluorine atoms in PFAS are so strong that they can take hundreds to thousands of years to break down.

Many of these chemicals have been linked to harmful health outcomes, including cancer and reproduction and immunity question.

“There are thousands of these chemicals,” said Birgit Gerke Swiss Food Packaging Forum Organization. “We want to understand the presence of PFAS in food packaging.”

Geueke and her colleagues analyzed 1,312 studies conducted around the world that detailed chemicals that may come into contact with food during manufacturing, packaging or cooking. They then cross-referenced these chemicals with a list of known PFAS.

The research team found that 68 PFAS are commonly found in materials that come into contact with food, such as packaging and cookware. Of these, 61 were not previously known to be present in such materials and therefore were not included in the regulatory lists mandating the use of PFAS.

Only 39 of the 68 PFAS have been examined for toxicity. One of the substances analyzed was perfluorooctanoic acid, which is classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans based on limited evidence that it may cause testicular and kidney cancer, Geyuk said.

“I think manufacturers have a responsibility to make sure they use as little PFAS as possible,” she said. Regulators around the world are working in the right direction, she said.

For example, the European Union recently put forward a proposal to ban most PFAS. In February, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Announce Certain oil-repellent materials containing PFAS will no longer be sold for food packaging.