A recent study has revealed that over 3,600 chemicals used in food packaging and preparation have been detected in human bodies, with some posing potential health risks. Published on Tuesday, the research highlighted that while some of these chemicals are well-known, such as PFAS and bisphenol A, many others remain largely unstudied.
Lead researcher Birgit Geueke from the Food Packaging Forum Foundation, a Zurich-based NGO, stated that around 100 of these chemicals are of “high concern” for human health. Chemicals like PFAS and bisphenol A, both linked to health issues, are already targeted for bans in several countries. However, there’s still a significant knowledge gap surrounding the health effects of many other chemicals.
The study noted that food contact chemicals (FCCs) can migrate from packaging materials—such as plastic, paper, and metal—into the food we eat. These substances can also come from equipment like conveyor belts or kitchen tools used in food processing. The researchers searched biomonitoring databases and were surprised to find 3,601 FCCs present in human bodies—far more than the few hundred they had initially expected.
While the study couldn’t definitively confirm that all these chemicals originated from food packaging, it identified some that raise concern, such as PFAS, often called “forever chemicals,” and bisphenol A, a hormone disruptor already banned in baby bottles in many regions. Phthalates, another hormone-disrupting chemical linked to infertility, was also detected.
Geueke emphasized the need for more research, particularly on lesser-known chemicals like oligomers, byproducts of plastic production with very limited data on their health effects.
Though the study couldn’t pinpoint the concentration levels of these chemicals, Geueke warned that they could interact with each other, making their combined effect harder to assess. She advised reducing contact with food packaging and avoiding reheating food in its original packaging to minimize exposure.
Experts like Duane Mellor from Aston University praised the study but cautioned against alarm. Instead, he suggested that people demand better data on chemical exposure and take steps to minimize unnecessary contact with harmful substances.
On a positive note, the European Union is moving toward banning PFAS in food packaging and plans to phase out bisphenol A by the end of the year. The study was published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology.
