{"id":4729,"date":"2022-05-16T15:20:47","date_gmt":"2022-05-16T15:20:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.impactanalytical.com\/?page_id=4729"},"modified":"2022-08-25T16:34:15","modified_gmt":"2022-08-25T16:34:15","slug":"pfas-contamination-in-food-from-food-packaging-materials","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.impactanalytical.com\/pfas-contamination-in-food-from-food-packaging-materials\/","title":{"rendered":"PFAS Contamination in Food from Food Packaging Materials"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Header” _builder_version=”4.16.0″ background_color=”rgba(30,30,30,0.85)” background_enable_image=”off” background_position=”center_right” background_blend=”overlay” custom_padding=”||||true|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”7px||7px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ z_index=”11″ custom_padding=”||||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.3″ text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#1E1E1E” text_font_size=”18px” text_line_height=”2em” header_font=”|600|||||||” header_text_align=”center” header_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_font_size=”54px” header_line_height=”1.3em” header_6_font=”|600||on|||||” header_6_text_color=”#009dd5″ header_6_font_size=”20px” header_6_letter_spacing=”1px” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”700px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”||0px||false|false” text_font_size_tablet=”16px” text_font_size_phone=”14px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_font_size_tablet=”44px” header_font_size_phone=”26px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]
Impact Analytical – Home<\/span><\/h6>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.3″ text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#1E1E1E” text_font_size=”18px” text_line_height=”2em” header_font=”|600|||||||” header_text_align=”center” header_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_font_size=”70px” header_line_height=”1.3em” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”700px” module_alignment=”center” text_font_size_tablet=”16px” text_font_size_phone=”14px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_font_size_tablet=”58px” header_font_size_phone=”32px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]

PFAS Contamination in Food from Food Packaging Materials<\/h1>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” admin_label=”About” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_image=”https:\/\/www.impactanalytical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/molecules-bg.png” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_right” custom_padding=”||||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”||||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ make_equal=”on” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.17.3″ custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.17.3″ background_image=”https:\/\/www.impactanalytical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/19-IMP-0619-ASSET-LOCKER-1-53-1-scaled.jpg” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider _builder_version=”4.17.3″ _module_preset=”default” show_divider=”off” custom_padding=”150px||150px||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”#a6d5f3″ divider_weight=”8px” _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”40px” module_alignment=”left” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.3″ text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”2em” header_font=”Rubik|500|||||||” header_text_color=”#1a3066″ header_font_size=”54px” header_line_height=”1.3em” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_text_color=”#1E1E1E” header_2_font_size=”38px” header_2_line_height=”1.3em” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”14px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_font_size_tablet=”44px” header_font_size_phone=”34px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”24px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]

PFAS chemicals and contamination<\/h2>\n

There has been much coverage and discussion about per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in water sources, soil and sediment. Lately, the conversation and dialogue has focused on the contamination of food due to PFAS in food packaging. PFAS chemicals in food packaging can migrate into food, especially when food containers, packaging, and wrappers that contain PFAS are exposed to fatty, salty, or acidic foods.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.17.3″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.17.3″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.3″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”2em” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Also referred to as \u201cforever chemicals,\u201d the PFAS class of man-made chemicals contains over 9,000 known compounds. These compounds are resistant to biodegradation and do not easily break down in the environment. As a result, PFAS chemicals have been shown to bioaccumulate, or build up, in humans and wildlife with exposure. Although the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has provided guidance regarding\u00a0<\/span>authorized uses<\/a><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>of PFAS in food contact applications, the presence of these forever chemicals in food packaging is particularly concerning, as small amounts of PFAS in the body can lead to serious health problems. Specific PFAS chemicals have been linked to a myriad of health issues, such as cancer, suppressed immune function, and reproductive toxicity, including birth defects and infertility, developmental toxicity, and preeclampsia in pregnant women.<\/p>\n

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Voluntary phase-out of certain PFAS-containing food contact materials<\/h2>\n

3 manufacturers of food contact substances containing a particular short-chain per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), 6:2 fluorotelomer alcohol (6:2 FTOH), agreed to participate in an FDA-led voluntary phase-out of these compounds in 2021. The food contact substance 6:2 FTOH has a history of use as a grease-proofing agent in some paper and paperboard food packaging. The 3-year voluntary phase-out of sales of these compounds in the US marketplace began in 2021. It is understood that, after the 3-year phase-out period comes to an end, it may take up to 18 additional months to exhaust the stock of products containing 6:2 FTOH currently on the market.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.17.3″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.17.3″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.3″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#E8E8E8″ text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”2em” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Originally, 4 companies were granted authorization for the use of these short-chain grease-proofing agents by the FDA, as a result of the standard Food Contact Notification (FCN) process. While 3 companies have agreed to participate in the voluntary phase-out, in 2019, the fourth manufacturer voluntarily stopped sales of food contact substances containing 6:2 FTOH, later reporting this decision to the Agency. At the time the FCNs for short-chain PFAS became effective, data demonstrated they were a safe alternative to long-chain PFAS. In the time that has passed since the original authorization was granted, the Agency has carried out post-market scientific reviews. Data that the FDA reviewed as part of this process showed reports of biopersistence of 6:2 FTOH in rodent studies. This data pointed to the conclusion the chemical may also potentially persist in humans after consuming food which has been exposed to the compound. Although further studies are needed in order to better understand the risk 6:2 FTOH presents to human health, the phased removal of these materials from the market limits the potential for supply chain disruption while addressing the potential public health risk.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” admin_label=”About” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_image=”https:\/\/www.impactanalytical.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/molecules-bg.png” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_right” custom_padding=”||||true|false” custom_padding_tablet=”||||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row make_equal=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”#a6d5f3″ divider_weight=”8px” _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”40px” module_alignment=”left” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.3″ text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”2em” header_font=”Rubik|500|||||||” header_text_color=”#1a3066″ header_font_size=”54px” header_line_height=”1.3em” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_text_color=”#1E1E1E” header_2_font_size=”38px” header_2_line_height=”1.3em” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”14px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_font_size_tablet=”44px” header_font_size_phone=”34px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”24px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]

The regulation of PFAS in food packaging and food contact materials<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

To evaluate whether PFAS levels pose a potential human health concern, the FDA conducts safety assessments when detectable levels of PFAS are found in foods. The Agency considers several factors, including:<\/p>\n