Plastic wrap, cardboard contain chemicals linked to breast cancer: Study
A recent study has found 200 chemicals in food packaging that can cause breast cancer, urging preventive measures. Published in Frontiers of Toxicology, the research highlights significant risks from everyday items like plastic and cardboard.
A recent study identified 200 chemicals in food packages that could potentially cause breast cancer. Researchers at the Food Packaging Forum highlight the importance of preventive measures to reduce these chemicals in everyday products.
Products that contained these harmful chemicals included cardboard, shrink wraps or plastic wrap, and plastics. The study, published in Frontiers of Toxicology, reported that 143 chemicals found in plastic and 89 chemicals found in cardboard were linked to the development of breast cancer.
The chemicals found in these food packaging items include PFA, bisphenols, and phthalates – which researchers have already determined to be dangerous.
PFAs have been nicknamed “forever chemicals” because they do not break down easily. First, they resist breaking down and, therefore, accumulate in the body over time.
“This study is important because it shows that there is a huge opportunity to prevent human exposure to breast cancer-causing chemicals,” said Jan Muncke, managing director of the Food Packaging Forum and co-author of the study.
“The potential for cancer prevention by reducing hazardous chemicals in your daily life is small and needs more attention,” he said.
Focusing on the latest studies, evidence implicates exposure to 76 suspected carcinogens from food contact materials (FCM) worldwide for breast cancer.
Of these, 61 (80%) are associated with plastics, indicating global exposure to these chemicals under conditions of practical use.
The data comes just days after a peer-reviewed study published in Nature showed that more than 3,600 chemicals, including some known carcinogens, transfer to humans from food packaging.
The study cross-referenced 14,000 chemicals approved for food contact with biomonitoring databases, although the researchers said it offers only a partial view of human chemical exposure.
“Humans are exposed to these chemicals through food, but the full scope of risk is still unknown. People are exposed to synthetic chemicals from food, medications, household products, and environmental pollutants,” the study said. “
The researchers warned that these chemicals could interact with each other, pointing to one sample that contained 30 different PFAs.
