Nearly 200 potentially cancer-causing chemicals discovered in food packaging
What’s particularly concerning is that these potentially harmful chemicals were found in food packaging from markets all over the world.
September 25, 2024
ZÜRICH, Switzerland — A new study is revealing a concerning truth about the materials that come into contact with our food: many contain chemicals that could potentially cause breast cancer.
Despite regulations aimed at keeping harmful substances out of our food supply, researchers in Switzerland have found nearly 200 potential breast carcinogens are present in food packaging, processing equipment, and cookware.
The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Toxicology, compared a list of 921 chemicals identified as potential breast carcinogens with a database of substances known to leach from food contact materials.
In total, 189 of these potential cancer-causing chemicals have been detected in food packaging and related materials.
Even more alarming, when focusing on recent studies from 2020 to 2022, the researchers found that 76 of these chemicals were actively moving from food contact materials under realistic conditions.
Simply put, these potentially harmful substances are likely leaching into the food we eat every day.
The chemicals in question aren’t just limited to one type of packaging.
They’ve been found in various materials, including plastics, paper and cardboard, metals, and multi-material packaging.
Plastic items were the worst offenders, with 76% of the identified chemicals detected in plastic food contact items.
Some of the chemicals discovered have direct evidence of causing mammary tumors in rodents, while others are suspected carcinogens based on their ability to damage DNA or disrupt hormone systems.
Notable examples include benzene, styrene, and several aromatic amines – chemicals that have been linked to cancer in numerous studies.
What’s particularly concerning is that these potentially harmful chemicals were found in food packaging from markets all over the world.
From the United States and Canada to China, India, and various European countries, it seems no region is immune to this issue.
“This study is important because it shows that there is a huge opportunity for prevention of human exposure to breast cancer-causing chemicals,” says Jane Muncke, Managing Director of the Food Packaging Forum and co-author of the study, in a media release.
“The potential for cancer prevention by reducing hazardous chemicals in your daily life is underexplored and deserves much more attention.”
The study’s findings highlight a significant gap in current food safety regulations.
Many countries have laws specifically aimed at keeping cancer-causing chemicals out of food packaging.
For instance, U.S. regulations state that no substance added to food (including those migrating from packaging) is considered safe if it causes cancer in humans or animals.
Similarly, EU regulations require that food contact materials don’t transfer harmful constituents to food at levels that could endanger human health.
Despite these regulations, the presence of so many potential carcinogens in food packaging suggests that current safety measures may not be as effective as intended.
The researchers argue that this situation calls for a new approach to regulating food contact materials, one that focuses more on the inherent hazardous properties of chemicals rather than just their measured levels in food.
“Our findings imply that chronic exposure of the entire population to suspected mammary carcinogens from FCMs is the norm and highlights an important, but currently underappreciated, opportunity for prevention,” the authors conclude.
Waxed paper-the only wrap my mom would use! She was way ahead of her time. She wouldn’t let us use any plastic. She only used glass. She was born in 1918, never went to college, just had a sense about her. We have seem to have lost that sense. I think we need to tap into our consciousness and see what lies there within.