Items Tagged with 'PFAS'

In a first-of-its-kind study analyzing large population-level datasets, researchers from the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine estimated that communities exposed to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) -contaminated drinking water experience up to 33 percent higher incidence of certain cancers.

“NSF Certification Guideline 537: PFAS-Free Products for Nonfood Compounds and Food Equipment Materials” (NSF 537) is a new certification for suppliers of food equipment materials, nonfood compounds, and chemicals to distinguish their products as free of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS).

The Food Packaging Forum’s open access Database on Migrating and Extractable Food Contact Chemicals (FCCmigex) has been updated to include the most recent science on thousands of food contact chemicals to which humans are exposed. FCCmigex supports scientific and regulatory efforts to improve food contact material safety.

A recent study has revealed that nearly 100 million people in the U.S. are exposed to unregulated chemicals in their drinking water—including solvents, refrigerants, and PFAS—with Hispanic populations most disproportionately affected.

A survey of Swedish toddlers conducted by the Swedish Food Agency as part of the Riksmaten Young Children dietary study has found high levels of some toxic substances—such as PFAS, BPA, and lead—in the children’s bodies.

Citing concerns that the Trump Administration could roll back or weaken Biden-era EPA drinking water standards for PFAS, a bill has been introduced in California that would set state-level limits for harmful “forever chemicals” that are at least as protective as current federal standards.

This article examines the health risks of PFAS migration from food packaging, and how food and beverage companies can go about phasing out their use to comply with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations and state laws.

Publicity concerning PFAS in food packaging has led to litigation alleging contamination in foods, claiming that manufacturers falsely marketed products by failing to disclose the presence of PFAS. Such claims will likely increase due to EPA's requirement for manufacturers and importers to submit reports on their use of PFAS by January 2026.

In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak to Natalie Rainer and Dr. Peter Coneski, food regulatory experts at K&L Gates LLP, about the policy and legal issues surrounding food packaging chemicals of concern and targeted food additives, and the implications for industry.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has compiled a report on the exposure of humans and food-producing animals to endocrine-disrupting chemicals—such as PFAS, BPA, and phthalates, among others—between 2004 and 2024.