Like 93% of Europeans, you probably indulge in a meal at your favorite fast food restaurant from time to time. You may even be part of these absolute addicts, who, like 34% of British people, eat fast food at least once a week!

After years of awareness, we all know the health risks of this “junk food”: obesity, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes… the list goes on.

What we’re less aware of is that by regularly eating fast food, we’re also increasing our exposure to PFAS, those “forever chemicals” that have been making headlines in recent years.

But what are they doing here?

We already knew that PFAS are used in a variety of everyday products: clothing, kitchenware, paints, carpets, and even in our cosmetics or shower gels. But in our good old burgers or fries from our favorite fast food chains?

Yet it’s an established fact that PFAS are commonly found in fast food packaging. They are used for their ability to resist grease and water, making the packaging more efficient:

  • They are more durable because they don’t break down or deteriorate due to sauces or oils in the food.
  • They are more convenient because the food doesn’t stick to the packaging.
  • And they stay clean, which everyone loves!

A 2022 study in the United States detected PFAS in more than half of the fast food packaging tested. In 19% of the samples, the levels exceeded 100 ppm (0.1 mg of PFAS per g of packaging), recently set by the state of California as the toxicity threshold. Unfortunately, this issue isn’t limited to the U.S.; a similar study conducted in France found a PFAS, the perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), in ALL the samples tested.

From Your Fries to Your Bloodstream

The use of PFAS in fast food packaging is widespread. It extends from greasy papers wrapping your burger or sandwich, to pizza boxes, fry containers, and even buckets commonly used for tenders or wings.

When in contact with hot or greasy food, the PFAS in packaging can migrate into the food. Naturally, these pollutants enter your body and end up in your bloodstream through the digestive system. While some PFAS will be expelled with your urine, a large portion remains in your body, accumulating over time. The problem with PFAS lies in their primary strength: the unique durability of their carbon chain, which makes them resistant to most common degradation processes, including digestion.

Note: We’ll deliberately skip over the hypothesis that PFAS might be absorbed through skin contact with packaging. While many studies now show that prolonged skin contact with PFAS allows them to enter the body, in the case of a fast food meal, this contact is probably not long enough for a significant transfer to occur.

PFAS Implicated in Numerous Diseases

This accumulation of PFAS in the body over time can cause a variety of health issues, such as hormonal disruptions, thyroid diseases, cancers, and kidney disorders. Young children and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable. In pregnant women, PFAS exposure can interfere with fetal development, increasing the risk of low birth weight or premature birth. For young children, PFAS can impair cognitive development, reduce immune function, and contribute to behavioral issues.

It is now well established that PFAS interfere with endocrine systems, affecting critical processes such as hormone regulation and metabolism. A recent European study also highlights that exposure to chemicals found in plastics, including PFAS, may be a causal factor in obesity, particularly when exposure occurs at high or prolonged levels.

Brands Taking Action

Aware of the impact of these substances, several companies have chosen to reduce—or, in some cases, eliminate—PFAS from their packaging.

While these large companies have accelerated their transition under consumer pressure, they are also anticipating stricter PFAS regulations, particularly in Europe and the U.S. It’s worth noting that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has now set a tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 4.4 ng/kg of body weight for combined exposure to PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, and PFHxS in food.

Stay Vigilant, but Don’t Lose the Pleasure

Once again, a little pragmatism won’t hurt. The presence of PFAS in packaging adds an additional risk to the long list of diseases accelerated or caused by frequent fast food consumption. The most reasonable course of action is to apply common sense and limit your visits to these temples of junk food. Your heart will thank you, and so will your arteries.

While many brands are making commendable efforts to remove PFAS from their packaging, it’s important to note that many voices are saying they are still far from their goals. A study conducted at the end of 2023 by the health blog Mamavation still found PFAS in packaging from KFC, McDonald’s, and Starbucks, although it could not be determined whether their presence was intentional.

Until PFAS disappear from packaging, stay vigilant and continue reading our blog infopfas.com for more information on these “forever chemicals”!

Our solutions to avoid PFAS

Sources :

  1. Rapport sur la consommation : Restauration rapide, Roamler
  2. Santé : quelles sont les conséquences de la malbouffe sur notre cerveau ?, Futura Sciences
  3. Dangerous PFAS Chemicals Are in Your Food Packaging, Consumer Report
  4. Determination of several PFAS groups in food packaging material from fast-food restaurants in France, Science Direct
  5. California’s Approach to PFAS Regulation Creates Compliance Challenges, Baker Hostetler law
  6. Understanding PFAS Exposure and Your Body, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
  7. The PFAS Packaging Predicament: McDonald’s Isn’t Loving It, American Institute for Economic Research
  8. Starbucks announces ban of toxic “forever chemicals” in its food packaging, Toxic Free Future
  9. Burger King announces global ban of toxic “forever chemicals” in food packaging, Toxic Free Future
  10. Fast Food & Fast Casual Restaurant Packaging & PFAS “Forever Chemicals” –Report 2023, Mamavation

*Images from Freepik