The U.S. has stopped using PFAS in food packaging

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAS, PFAS) will no longer be used in the country for food packaging. Thus, the agency expects to eliminate the main source of these substances in the human body.

The initiative was voluntarily supported by manufacturers. According to FDA estimates, the complete removal of PFAS-containing products from the supply chain will take about 18 months. That said, a limited number of these compounds are still authorized for use in cookware and equipment used for food preparation.

PFASs have good water-, grease- and dirt-repellent properties, which have led to widespread use as coatings for food wrappers, fast food boxes, popcorn bags, paper cups, animal feed packaging and more, as well as in a host of non-food consumer products, food and non-food industries. Meanwhile, the high chemical persistence of these compounds contributes to their accumulation in humans and the environment.

PFAS use has been shown in various studies to be associated with an increased risk of arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, ulcerative colitis, liver, kidney and thyroid disease, immune system disorders, cancer and other health problems.