{"id":4486,"date":"2024-04-11T08:56:34","date_gmt":"2024-04-11T06:56:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/?p=4486"},"modified":"2025-06-12T12:50:54","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T09:50:54","slug":"pfass-in-food-contact-materials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/pfass-in-food-contact-materials\/","title":{"rendered":"PFASs in Food Contact: Health Risks and Current Legislation"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been extensively utilized across various industrial and consumer sectors since the 1950s, due to their useful properties, including low surface energy and durable water- and oil-repellency, and finding application in a number of products, ranging from food packaging to firefighting foams. By taking into account a recent study, published by the American Chemical Society, on the migration of PFASs in food packaging materials, we analyze PFASs and their characteristics, while exploring their potential health risks and governing EU regulations.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/pfass-in-food-contact-materials\/#Understanding_PFASs\" >Understanding PFASs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/pfass-in-food-contact-materials\/#The_Research\" >The Research<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/pfass-in-food-contact-materials\/#Health_Risks\" >Health Risks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/pfass-in-food-contact-materials\/#Regulatory_Action\" >Regulatory Action<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/pfass-in-food-contact-materials\/#EU_Regulations_on_PFASs\" >EU Regulations on PFASs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/pfass-in-food-contact-materials\/#PFASs_and_the_PPWR\" >PFASs and the PPWR<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/pfass-in-food-contact-materials\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Understanding_PFASs\"><\/span><strong>Understanding PFASs<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oecd.org\/chemicalsafety\/portal-perfluorinated-chemicals\/aboutpfass\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">PFASs<\/a> are a large group of chemicals, widely used in industrial and consumer applications for over 70 years, usually where extremely low surface energy or surface tension and\/or durable water- and oil-repellency is needed, e.g., chromium metal plating, various fire-fighting foams, food contact packaging or for surface treatment of textiles, carpets and papers.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">PFASs consist of a fully (per) or partly (poly) fluorinated carbon chain connected to different functional groups. Based on the length of the fluorinated carbon chain, short and long chain PFASs can be distinguished.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Research\"><\/span><strong>The Research<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/epdf\/10.1021\/acs.est.3c03702\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">research<\/a> maps the evidence on PFASs detected in migrates and extracts of food contact materials and provides an overview of available hazard and biomonitoring data. Based on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foodpackagingforum.org\/fccmigex\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">FCCmigex database<\/a><strong>, 68 PFASs have been identified in various food contact materials<\/strong>, including paper, plastic, and coated metal, by targeted and untargeted analyses. <strong>87 % <\/strong>of these PFASs belong to the perfluorocarboxylic acids and fluorotelomer-based compounds. In addition, trends in chain length demonstrate that <strong>long-chain perfluoroalkyl acids continue to be found,<\/strong> <strong>despite years of global efforts to reduce the use of these substances<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Health_Risks\"><\/span><strong>Health Risks<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Despite PFASs\u2019 unique chemistry having made many aspects of modern life more convenient, their molecular properties, have also granted them harmful qualities, including persistence, raising alarms due to their universal presence as contaminants in food, drinking water, and the environment.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the decades following their introduction at 1950s, PFASs such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) were identified in human samples. Today, many PFASs have been found worldwide in both humans and wildlife. A number of harmful health effects, including <strong>cancer, thyroid illness, a reduced ability to respond to vaccinations, and elevated cholesterol<\/strong>, have been related to exposure to certain PFASs.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Given the enormity of this class of compounds, however, exposure and hazard data are still extremely limited for most PFASs. Moreover, the study highlights that most of what is known about the toxicity of PFASs that has come from studies of some older PFASs that have, for instance, been banned from production in the US from the early 2000s. Since then, other PFASs have entered the market, of which <strong>there are little to no publicly available data on their hazards and\/or risks<\/strong> to human and environmental health.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Moreover, the study indicated that removing PFASs from FCMs will require broader and more enforceable actions from regulators and other stakeholders, and refers to the example of the recent development of PFAS-free molded fiber with cellulose nanomaterials, highlighting that <strong>alternatives to PFAS in food packaging are possible<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4509\" src=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/pfas-in-food-contact-graphic-of-man-pulling-risk-meter-down-1024x732.png\" alt=\"pfas in food contact - graphic of man pulling risk meter down\" width=\"1024\" height=\"732\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/pfas-in-food-contact-graphic-of-man-pulling-risk-meter-down-1024x732.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/pfas-in-food-contact-graphic-of-man-pulling-risk-meter-down-300x214.png 300w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/pfas-in-food-contact-graphic-of-man-pulling-risk-meter-down-768x549.png 768w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/pfas-in-food-contact-graphic-of-man-pulling-risk-meter-down.png 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Regulatory_Action\"><\/span><strong>Regulatory Action<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The study compiles evidence for <strong>68 PFASs <\/strong>that have been detected in migrates and extracts of FCMs. From these 68 PFASs, <strong>only seven were listed in global FCM regulations <\/strong>and industry inventories as intentional starting substances of FCMs. This means that almost 90 % of these PFASs were either reaction or degradation products, impurities, or added during manufacturing without having been included in any of the FCM lists of authorized uses included in the FCCdb.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In addition, there are little to no toxicity data available for many of the PFASs detected in FCMs, which marks a large gap in knowledge about their potential health and environment risks.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"EU_Regulations_on_PFASs\"><\/span><strong>EU Regulations on PFASs<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Efforts to regulate PFASs have gained momentum globally, with various legislative measures aimed at restricting their usage. The European Union has implemented stringent regulations under the Stockholm Convention and the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) framework, targeting the elimination and restriction of PFASs in consumer products<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The national authorities of Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden proposed a restriction covering a <strong>wide range of PFAS uses <\/strong>\u2013 in support of the statements made in the Environment Council in December 2019. They submitted their proposal to ECHA in January 2023. On February of 2023, ECHA published a comprehensive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.echa.europa.eu\/documents\/10162\/f605d4b5-7c17-7414-8823-b49b9fd43aea\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">dossier<\/a> concerning a <strong>ban on around 10,000 PFAS substances. <\/strong>The ban is to be implemented under <a href=\"https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/?uri=CELEX%3A02006R1907-20231201\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Regulation (EU) No 1907\/2006 (\u201cREACH\u201d)<\/a>. An initial open consultation has been completed, and ECHA\u2019s scientific committees are now examining the potential impacts of the restriction proposal.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"PFASs_and_the_PPWR\"><\/span><strong>PFASs and the PPWR<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Among the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.europarl.europa.eu\/doceo\/document\/TA-9-2023-0425_EN.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">changes<\/a> happened in 2024 to the packaging and packaging waste regulation (PPWR), was the restriction of food contact packaging containing <strong>intentionally added per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs),<\/strong> and its placement on the market.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/ppwr-eu-reaches-provisional-agreement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">provisional political agreement<\/a> on a proposal for the PPWR, the requirements for substances in packaging were reinforced, by introducing a restriction on the market-placing <strong>of food contact packaging containing PFASs above certain thresholds<\/strong>. To avoid any overlap with other pieces of legislation, the co-legislators tasked the Commission with assessing the need to amend that restriction within four years of the date of application of the regulation.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">PFASs pose significant health risks and environmental challenges, which call for robust legislative measures and concerted efforts from stakeholders. Despite the fact that these chemicals have been subject to regulation, more extensive research and proactive legislative actions are necessary to lessen the harmful effects they may have on human and environmental health. By fostering collaboration between policymakers, industry stakeholders, and the scientific community, we can hope in creating safer, PFAS-free products for both consumers and the environment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been extensively utilized across various industrial and consumer sectors since the 1950s, due to their useful properties, including low surface energy and durable water- and oil-repellency, and finding application in a number of products, ranging from food packaging to firefighting foams. By taking into account a recent study, published&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4509,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,541,545,540],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4486","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-en","category-industry-trends-reports-en","category-packaging-legislation-en","category-regulations-policy-en","category-28","category-541","category-545","category-540","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4486","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4486"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4486\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4512,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4486\/revisions\/4512"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4509"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4486"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4486"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4486"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}