More than 3,600 chemicals used in food packaging or preparation have been detected in human bodies, with some posing significant health risks, according to a study released Tuesday. Lead author Birgit Geueke from the Food Packaging Forum Foundation in Zurich stated that around 100 of these chemicals are of “high concern” to human health.
Some well-known chemicals, such as PFAS “forever chemicals” and bisphenol A, have already been found in humans and are the subject of ongoing bans. However, less is understood about other chemicals, prompting calls for more research on how these substances, used in packaging, make their way into the body via food.
The research team previously identified approximately 14,000 food contact chemicals (FCCs) that can migrate from packaging materials, like plastic, paper, glass, and metal, into food. Surprisingly, they discovered 3,601 FCCs in biomonitoring databases, a quarter of the total known FCCs.
Among the “high concern” chemicals detected were PFAS, which have been linked to a variety of health problems, and bisphenol A, a hormone disruptor found in plastics that is banned in baby bottles in many countries. Phthalates, another hormone-disrupting chemical, have been associated with infertility.
Less is known about chemicals like oligomers, which are byproducts of plastic production. Geueke stressed that while the study couldn’t confirm all chemicals came from food packaging, it highlights the need to reduce contact with these materials.