3600 food packaging chemicals detected in human bodies: How reheating food is killing us

While a lot has been said and written about packaged foods, there was little emperical evidence to suggest how far this is impacting human health and what is the outer limit of consuming such food. A recent study, published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology has found more than 3,600 chemicals used in food packaging or preparation in human bodies. Scroll down to read the details.

While we often think that by washing and cooking the food right, we are consuming all essential nutrients, but the truth is beyond imagination. The researchers Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology have now found traces of more than 3600 chemicals used in food packaging in human bodies, and some of them are hazardous to health.

As per reports, around 100 of these chemicals are considered to be of high concern to human health, as they can be fatal too. One of the most common chemicals found in the human body are PFAs and bisphenol A.

For the uninitiated, PFAs, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of man-made chemicals used in various industrial and consumer products due to their water- and grease-resistant properties. Commonly found in items like nonstick cookware, water-repellent clothing, food packaging, and firefighting foams, PFAs are often referred to as "forever chemicals" because they do not break down easily in the environment.

As per AFP report, the researchers had previously catalogued around 14,000 food contact chemicals (FCCs), which are capable of "migrating" into food from packaging made of plastic, paper, glass, metal or other materials. It is said that these chemicals get mixed in food from other parts of the food-making process, such as from conveyor belts or utensils in which these foods are being made. The report states that a total of 3601 FCCs have been found.

The lead study author Birgit Geueke from the Food Packaging Forum Foundation, a Zurich-based NGO has mentioned that this study could not show that all these chemicals necessarily ended up in bodies from food packaging, as "other exposure sources are possible".

For the unversed, the list of chemicals detected also includes bisphenol A, a hormone-disrupting chemical used to make plastics that has already been banned from baby bottles in many countries. Another hormone-disrupting chemical was phthalates, which has been linked to infertility. The list also includes oligomers.

Geueke has also mentioned that there is almost no evidence on the health effects of these chemicals and it calls for further study around the same.

Gueke has also warned that these chemicals can interact with each other, pointing to a single sample that had up to 30 different PFAS.

After the study has been released, it is being suggested to reduce the contact time with packaging and to avoid heating up food in the packaging it came in.

How to reheat food?
To retain nutrients when reheating food, use gentle methods like steaming or microwaving with a lid to prevent moisture loss. Avoid high heat, as it can degrade vitamins and minerals. Stir the food occasionally for even heating and reheat only what you need to minimize repeated warming.

What do you think of such report findings? Share your thoughts in the comment section.