The US Food and Drug Administration has announced that grease-proofing materials containing certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are no longer being sold for use in food packaging in the US, including pet food bags .
Manufacturers use thousands of PFASs, in products ranging from pet food bags to bullets, climbing ropes, guitar strings and artificial turf. In pet food bags, PFAS can help the bags resist moisture and lipids, such as fats and oils. PFAS are also used in the manufacturing process of some pet food containers.
Along with their ubiquity, the problem comes from how slowly PFAS break down in the environment and in the bodies of animals. Humans and animals ingest PFAS, and the chemicals remain in their bodies for years, if not lifetimes. Scientists have identified health risks from some PFAS, although not necessarily those used in pet food packages. Those risks include an increased risk of testicular and kidney cancer and infertility.
In November 2022, the Environmental Working Group published a report stating that a laboratory working for the group identified PFAS in 11 packages from seven brands of pet food, but not in the foods of pet itself.
FDA review of PFAS use
Excerpted from a press release:
Currently, the FDA has authorized certain PFASs for limited use in cookware, food packaging and food processing equipment. The FDA’s announcement marks the fulfillment of a voluntary commitment by manufacturers not to sell food contact ingredients containing certain PFASs intended for use as anti-grease agents in the US
In 2020, the FDA contacted companies to stop selling grease-proofing substances containing certain types of PFAS following the agency’s post-market safety assessment. Research conducted and published by FDA scientists has played a part in helping the agency obtain commitments from manufacturers to voluntarily stop using these PFAS-containing substances in food packaging products. paper and paperboard.
