How
safe is our food wrapper
Here's another thing to worry about
at a fast food restaurant: the packaging. That wrapping paper and paper
containers that hold your burgers, fries, burritos, etc. can be bad for your
health. But as long as you don't stuff the materials up your nose, you should
be safe, right? After all, you don't eat food wrapping and packaging materials.
Well, actually, maybe you do.
Many fast
food wrappers and containers have a grease-repelling chemical coating, which according to a report in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters, may
consist of fluorinated compounds. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains,
these flourinated compounds, otherwise known as PFASs (per- and polyfluoroalkyl
substances) may "affect the developing fetus and child, including possible
changes in growth, learning and behavior, decrease fertility and interfere with
the body’s natural hormones, increase cholesterol, affect the immune system and
increase cancer risk." The wonderful thing is that you may not have to eat
the wrappers or packaging materials to eat PFASs. Prior studies (such as this one, this one and this one) have shown that these chemicals can move from
the packaging onto your food. Yes, you may be thinking: WTPFAS?
For the report, researchers from the Silent Spring Institute
(Laurel A. Schaider), California Department of Toxic Substances Control (Simona
A. Balan), Green Science Policy Institute (Arlene Blum), Environmental Working
Group (David Q. Andrews), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Mark J.
Strynar), Hope College (Margaret E. Dickinson and David M. Lunderberg), Oak
Ridge Institute for Science and Education (Johnsie R. Lang) and Notre Dame
(Graham F. Peaslee) used particle-induced γ-ray emission (PIGE) spectroscopy to
measure the amount of fluorine in around 400 samples of wrappers and containers
from fast food restaurants around the United States. They found that 56% of the
dessert and bread wrappers, 38% of the sandwich and burger wrappers, 20% of the
paperboard and 0% of the paper cups had fluorine.
Fast food wrappers and packaging are not the only
sources of PFASs. Many water-repellent, stain-resistant and non-stick household
products have PFASs. The CDC lists
the following examples:
·
Some grease-resistant paper, fast food containers/wrappers,
microwave popcorn bags, pizza boxes and candy wrappers
·
Nonstick cookware such as Teflon-coated pots/pans
·
Stain-resistant coatings such as Scotchgard used on carpets,
upholstery and other fabrics
·
Water-resistant clothing such as Gore-Tex
·
Cleaning products
·
Personal care products (shampoo, dental floss) and cosmetics (nail
polish, eye makeup)
·
Paints, varnishes and sealants
Dental
floss? As if you needed another reason not to floss. And, unfortunately,
pollution has resulted in PFASs in the soil, water and other parts of the
environment. Even though PFASs may be all around you, you may want to take
steps to reduce your exposure, since the bad health effects may depend on the
amount and duration of exposure.
So what do you do to avoid PFASs in
your food? Well, one option is to ask for no packaging and just have them throw
the hot fries in your mouth or in your hands. However, in many cases, having
hot food thrown at your face won't be safe. Another option is to ask for the
food in a paper cup, a paper bag that doesn't have the coating or a ceramic
plate or bowl if available. A third option is to avoid restaurants and other
locations that use such wrappers or packaging. Also, you may want to stop
licking that melted cheese off the wrapping paper.
How much exposure to these wrappers and packaging is too much?
Unclear. The amount that leeches into your food really depends on the
temperature of the food, the type of food, the length of time it remains in the
packaging and the amount that was on the packaging. You probably don't want to
wrap your face in them every day (for general aesthetic and social reasons as
well), and the greater the exposure, the greater the risk. You may want to
encourage your favorite eateries to change their packaging. Just remember, food
at certain restaurants and eateries may have a bad wrap.
Follow me on Twitter @bruce_y_lee and visit our Global Obesity Prevention Center (GOPC) at
the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Read my other Forbes pieces here.
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