(NaturalHealth365)  Have you ever wondered how many PFAS chemicals you are consuming when eating?  Earlier this year, a study identified elevated levels of PFAS chemicals in food packaging.

The presence of PFAS in food causes harmful contamination.  As a result, people are altering how they view the food they consume.

PFAS are becoming a significant health threat

PFAS is an abbreviation for polyfluoroalkyl substances.  Health experts insist polyfluoroalkyl substance exposure is a problem that extends beyond packaged food.  Exposure to PFAS also occurs in other ways.  The compounds are contained within much of humanity’s food supply, contaminating farms of all different types.  Farmers in Michigan, Maine, and possibly several other states have significant polyfluoroalkyl substance contamination.

Currently, there is evidence of the polyfluoroalkyl substance compounds in nut butter, canola oils, and organic sauce.  It is also interesting to note a 2019 study reveals those who consume microwave popcorn in bags coated with these compounds have elevated levels of PFAS.

Poisoning the population: Gauging the extent of the problem

The question is how many polyfluoroalkyl substances Americans are consuming.  At the moment, scientists are limited to anecdotal evidence about exposure to PFAS sources throughout the country’s general population.  More studies are needed to get an accurate idea of the true extent of this issue.

Critics of the United States Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) testing for and regulation of the chemicals insist those efforts are insufficient.  As a result, there is an emerging sentiment that the FDA might have significantly underestimated the health risks of ongoing exposure to these chemicals.

The negative health outcomes

Polyfluoroalkyl substances take a while to disintegrate in the environment as well as in human bodies, meaning they have the potential to linger for years or possibly even longer, causing health issues across posterity. Polyfluoroalkyl substances cause health problems ranging from liver damage to heart disease, cancer, reduced infant weight at birth, to name a few unwanted health issues.

Polyfluoroalkyl substances are especially problematic for pregnant women as they can transition across the placenta.  Exposure to PFAS in the womb has been tied to heart problems and other issues as time progresses.  There is also evidence that new types of PFAS are also unsafe.

It’s time to take action and stop food contamination

PFAS make their way into foods in a variety of ways.  The compounds are unique in that they repel substances such as oil and water.  PFAS can also endure considerable heat without breaking down.  As a result, PFAS have utility in the context of cosmetics, kitchenware, the foam used for firefighting, and more.  The challenge lies in halting the generation and exposure to PFAS in the United States and globally.

PFAS enter food by way of its packaging, farm contamination, contact with fertilizer sewage sludge, and other methods.  Consuming fish has also been tied to elevated levels of PFAS.  The solution is to create health-friendly food packaging without harmful compounds.  Farmers also owe a duty of care to consumers so it only makes sense for the farming industry as a whole to attempt to transition to fertilizing crops without compound-laden sewage sludge.

To learn more about the true extent of this serious health issues … listen now this exclusive podcast with Jonathan Landsman and Robert Bilott, an environmental attorney – who has been fighting this issue for decades!

Sources for this article include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org
ConsumerReports.org
NIH.gov