Do PFAS in food contact materials enter your diet?

What's actually in it

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of chemicals often added to paper-based food packaging to make them grease and water resistant. These are not just sitting on the surface of your takeout container or sandwich wrap. They are mobile chemicals that move from the packaging into your food.

When you eat food that has been in contact with these treated materials, you are directly consuming these chemicals. This process is known as migration. Once they are in your food, they enter your body during your meal.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Sci Total Environ confirms that these chemicals are present in commercially available food-contact paper products. Because these materials are designed to hold food, the chemicals have a direct pathway to your dinner plate.

Other peer-reviewed research highlights that this is a broader problem with modern food packaging. A 2026 study in J Hazard Mater used advanced screening to look at substances moving from both plastic and paper-based materials into food. The study found that a variety of substances, including those with known toxicity, migrate from these materials during normal use.

While we often focus on the food itself, the science shows that the packaging is a significant source of chemical exposure. When you use treated paper products, you are essentially adding these chemicals to your diet.