Experts raise concern over grease-proofing food packaging chemicals

experts-raise-concern-over-grease-proofing-food-packaging-chemicals
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Exposure to high levels of some of these chemicals can cause reproductive and developmental, liver and kidney, and immunological effects

Chemicals used to “grease proof” everything from food packaging to carpets have built up in the environment for decades and contaminate ecosystems across the globe, and a new study is calling for a better understanding of the risks posed by these chemicals

A study, published in the academic journal Trends in Food Science & Technology, collects the proceedings of a symposium chaired by an Iowa State University scientist and issued a call to action on the need for new and better ways to detect and mitigate this class of chemical compounds, collectively known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Evidence indicates exposure to high levels can lead to adverse health effects for humans and other species, and the study stresses the need for new ways to measure and study exposures to these synthetic chemicals from various sources including food.

PFAS often have been used to coat food packaging as a barrier to keep grease from escaping.

Researchers in the US are now working to study potential mitigation strategies such as high voltage atmospheric cold plasma to change the chemistry of PFAS. This process could work by passing materials that contains PFAS, such as product packaging or even drinking water, through an engineered atmosphere to mitigate the compounds.

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