Chemicals in Food Packaging: A Health Concern
Over 3,600 Chemicals Found in Human Bodies, Study Suggests
PARIS: A recent study has revealed that more than 3,600 chemicals used in food packaging or preparation have been detected in human bodies, with some being hazardous to health.
High Concern Chemicals
Around 100 of these chemicals are considered to be of "high concern" to human health, according to lead study author Birgit Geueke from the Food Packaging Forum Foundation, a Zurich-based non-governmental organization. Some of these chemicals are well-studied and have already been found in human bodies, such as PFAS and bisphenol A.
Limited Understanding of Health Effects
However, little is known about the health effects of many of these chemicals, including oligomers, which are by-products of plastic production. There is almost no evidence on the health effects of these chemicals, Geueke emphasized.
Reduce Contact with Packaging
Geueke recommends that people reduce their contact time with packaging and avoid heating up food in the packaging it came in. She warned that these chemicals can interact with each other, pointing to a single sample that had up to 30 different PFAS.
Expert Insights
Duane Mellor, an expert in evidence-based medicine at the UK’s Aston University, praised the study as "very thorough." However, he noted that the study did not cover how much of these chemicals people are exposed to and hinted at other sources of these chemicals in the environment.
Regulatory Action
The European Union is in the final stages of banning the use of PFAS in food packaging, and has also proposed a similar ban for bisphenol A from the end of this year. The study was published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the study about?
A: The study is about the detection of chemicals used in food packaging or preparation in human bodies.
Q: How many chemicals were detected?
A: More than 3,600 chemicals were detected.
Q: How many of these chemicals are considered high concern?
A: Around 100 are considered high concern.
Q: What are the health concerns associated with these chemicals?
A: Some of these chemicals have been linked to a range of health problems, including hormone disruption, infertility, and more.
Q: What can individuals do to reduce their exposure to these chemicals?
A: Individuals can reduce their contact time with packaging, avoid heating up food in the packaging it came in, and demand better data on chemical exposure.