According to ⁢Dr. Birgit Geueke from the Food Packaging Forum Institute in Zurich, approximately 100 chemicals used in food packaging pose a “high ‍risk” to human ​health. Notable examples of these hazardous chemicals include PFAS and bisphenol ​A, both​ of which are currently ‌being phased ‍out.

Geueke emphasizes the need for further research on how certain chemicals ⁤in food packaging transfer to ⁢the human body‌ through food⁣ consumption. These chemicals can migrate from packaging to food and may also originate from production processes.

Researchers, who previously identified 14,000 food ‍contact chemicals (FCC), discovered that 3,601 ‍of these chemicals⁤ were present​ in the human body after examining biomonitoring databases.

Geueke notes that exposure to these chemicals is not ⁢limited to food packaging.⁣ Multiple sources of exposure ⁣are possible, and chemicals like PFAS ⁣and bisphenol A have been found in various parts of the human‍ body in recent years, ‍with links⁤ to health problems.

Other chemicals of concern include phthalates and lesser-known oligomers, which are known to ‌have hormone-disrupting effects. Geueke highlights that‍ the health effects of these chemicals are still unclear, particularly for oligomers, which are by-products of ⁤plastic production.

However, Geueke warns⁤ that the‍ interaction‍ between these chemicals can pose additional risks. ‌The study ‌highlights that ⁤the European Union is in the final stages of banning the use of PFAS ‌and bisphenol A in ⁤food packaging.

The research was published in the “Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology,” shedding light on ⁣the potential dangers of food⁣ packaging chemicals and the need for further investigation.