FDA says toxic chemicals in pizza boxes and popcorn bags no longer used in food packaging
The FDA said PFAS — once commonly found in a range of products, including pizza boxes, fast-food wrappers and microwave popcorn bags — are no longer used in food packaging.
Chemicals once commonly found in a range of products, including pizza boxes and microwave popcorn bags, are no longer being used in food packaging in the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday.
Eliminating the grease-proofing substances ends a yearslong campaign by the agency to phase out per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, toxic chemicals that may be linked to serious health problems, including cancer, birth defects and immune system suppression.
PFAS create a barrier that prevents oils, greases and water from seeping through food packaging, keeping the food dry and fresh.
They were once unavoidable in people’s day-to-day lives, being used in everything from fast-food wrappers to pet food bags.
Following extensive research over the last decade that found the chemicals can leach into food and may be associated with serious health problems in humans, food manufacturers gradually began to phase them out. In 2020, the FDA said it received commitments from the remaining food manufacturers to remove PFAS from their products voluntarily over the next few years.
Rating: 5