3,600+ Chemicals Found in Our Bodies from Food Packaging? The Shocking Truth!

A new study has revealed a shocking discovery: more than 3,600 chemicals used in food packaging or preparation have been detected in human bodies. Among these chemicals, some are known to be hazardous to health, while little is understood about the effects of many others. The findings raise serious concerns about how the chemicals used in packaging and food production could be impacting human health.

Key Chemicals of Concern

Out of the thousands of chemicals identified, around 100 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 NGO.

Some of these chemicals, such as PFAS and bisphenol A (BPA), are well-studied and already banned in certain products. However, many others are largely unknown in terms of their effects on human health. Geueke has called for more research to understand how chemicals from packaging end up being ingested along with our food.

How Chemicals Get into Our Food

The researchers catalogued approximately 14,000 chemicals used in food contact materials (FCMs). These chemicals can “migrate” from packaging materials such as plastic, paper, glass, and metal into the food they contain. In addition, chemicals can also enter food from other sources, like conveyor belts or kitchen utensils.

By searching through biomonitoring databases that track chemicals in human samples, the researchers unexpectedly found 3,601 of these food contact chemicals in human bodies — much more than the few hundred they initially expected.

PFAS and Other Known Hazardous Chemicals

Among the most concerning chemicals found were PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), also known as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment and human body. PFAS have been linked to a wide range of health problems, including cancer, immune system suppression, and developmental issues in children.

Another hazardous chemical detected was bisphenol A (BPA), a hormone-disrupting substance commonly used to manufacture plastics. BPA has already been banned in baby bottles in many countries due to its harmful effects. Phthalates, another group of hormone-disrupting chemicals linked to infertility, were also found in human samples.

What We Don’t Know: The Mystery of Oligomers

While PFAS, BPA, and phthalates have been studied extensively, less is known about some of the other chemicals found in the study, such as oligomers. Oligomers are byproducts of plastic production, and “there is almost no evidence on the health effects of these chemicals,” Geueke said.

Potential Health Risks and Uncertainties

A key limitation of the study is that it does not provide information on the concentrations of these chemicals in human bodies, according to Geueke. The presence of chemicals does not necessarily mean that they are present in harmful amounts. However, even at low doses, some chemicals can interact with each other, potentially leading to unexpected health effects.

For example, one sample in the study contained up to 30 different PFAS chemicals. This raises concerns about the combined effects of multiple chemicals in the human body, even if each individual chemical is present at a low level.

Practical Steps to Reduce Exposure

While more research is needed to fully understand the health risks, experts recommend several practical steps that people can take to reduce their exposure to harmful chemicals from food packaging:

1. Avoid Heating Food in Plastic Containers: Chemicals are more likely to leach into food when it is heated in plastic packaging. Use glass or ceramic containers instead.
2. Limit Canned Foods: Many canned products contain BPA in their linings. Opt for fresh or frozen foods when possible.
3. Minimize Processed Foods: Packaged and processed foods are more likely to come into contact with harmful chemicals during production.
4. Look for BPA-Free or Phthalate-Free Labels: Some manufacturers have started labeling their packaging to indicate the absence of certain harmful chemicals.

The Role of Regulation

Some of the chemicals identified in the study are already being targeted by bans, particularly in the European Union. The EU is currently in the final stages of banning PFAS in food packaging. A similar ban on bisphenol A is expected to come into effect by the end of this year.

However, regulatory action is lagging behind the sheer number of chemicals used in packaging. Many of the 3,600 chemicals identified in the study are not yet regulated, and little is known about their long-term effects on human health.

What Experts Are Saying

Duane Mellor, an expert in evidence-based medicine at Aston University in the UK, praised the study as a “very thorough piece of work.” However, Mellor emphasized that more data is needed to understand how much of these chemicals we are actually exposed to.

Rather than being “unduly alarmed,” Mellor suggested that people focus on demanding better data and minimizing unnecessary exposure to chemicals in their environment.

Conclusion: Reducing Our Chemical Exposure

The discovery of over 3,600 chemicals from food packaging in human bodies is a wake-up call. While it is impossible to eliminate exposure to these chemicals entirely, there are practical steps individuals can take to reduce their risk. At the same time, governments and regulatory bodies must step up their efforts to understand the health effects of these chemicals and ensure that food packaging is safe.