New research by environmental scientists with Switzerland’s Food Packaging Forum Foundation has uncovered 68 per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) “forever chemicals” in food packaging — including plastic, paper and coated metal.

Used by manufacturers for decades in products like nonstick cookware, water-repellent clothing, stain-resistant fabrics, cosmetics, firefighting foam and food packaging, more than 12,000 of the human-synthesized chemical compounds are known to exist, according to the study.

“There are thousands of these chemicals,” said Birgit Geueke, co-author of the study and a senior scientific officer with Food Packaging Forum, as New Scientist reported. “We wanted to get a picture of what is known about the presence of PFAS in food packaging.”

Scientists have discovered that PFAS have adverse health impacts, leading to many being banned, reported Phys.org. Recent research has demonstrated that the toxic substances can migrate into food.

“Due to their unique chemistry, PFASs have enabled convenience in many parts of modern life. However, their molecular properties have also granted them hazardous properties, including persistence, raising alarms due to their ubiquitous presence as contaminants in food, drinking water, and the environment,” the researchers wrote in the study. “Today, various PFASs have been identified in sera from humans and wildlife globally. Exposure to some PFASs has been linked to a wide range of adverse health outcomes such as cancer, thyroid disease, decreased response to vaccination, and high cholesterol.”

The study, “Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Food Packaging: Migration, Toxicity, and Management Strategies,” was published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

After compiling records on known PFAS in food packaging from the FCCmigex database, the research team found a total of 68 PFAS compounds — 61 had been previously banned from use in food packaging.

While examining the compounds found in food packaging, the team noted the lack of evidence as to why and how they ended up there.

“We utilized ToxPi to illustrate that hazard data are available for only 57% of the PFASs that have been detected in food packaging. For those PFASs for which toxicity testing has been performed, many adverse outcomes have been reported,” the researchers wrote. “The data and knowledge gaps presented here support international proposals to restrict PFASs as a group, including their use in food contact materials, to protect human and environmental health.”

The researchers recommended that a thorough review of food packaging be conducted, as well as the establishment of new rules and a method of enforcement for these pervasive and harmful chemicals.

“Ideally, a restriction would ban PFASs on a global scale to prevent the continued production and use in countries that lack legislation or the capacity for compliance monitoring,” the researchers wrote in the study. “A class-based phase-out of PFASs in food contact materials, including food packaging, would effectively protect public health while enabling the creation of a safe, circular economy.”

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