As of January 6, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that the food contact notifications (FCNs) for 35 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are no longer effective, due to the abandonment of their uses by industry. The 35 FCNs had previously authorized food contact substances used for grease-proofing coatings applied to paper and paperboard packaging to prevent leaking of oil and water.
The announcement follows previous activities initiated by FDA to address certain PFAS in the food supply. Specifically, in 2020, manufacturers or suppliers of the food contact substances voluntarily agreed to phase out sales of grease-proofing substances that contained PFAS. In February 2024, the FDA announced that all grease-proofing substances containing PFAS are no longer being sold by manufacturers for food contact use in the U.S. market.
In addition to determining that grease-proofing substances containing PFAS are no longer authorized for use in paper and paperboard food packaging, FDA also developed a screening method to detect grease-proofing agents containing PFAS in paper and paperboard packaging. The method was designed to detect fluorotelomer-based acrylate polymers and surfactants.
