Food wrapper chemicals ‘causing blood contamination in humans’

By ANI
Tuesday, November 9, 2010

WASHINGTON - Chemicals used to line junk food wrappers and microwave popcorn bags are migrating into food and being ingested by people where they are contributing to chemical contamination observed in blood, reveal University of Toronto scientists.

Perfluorinated carboxylic acids or PFCAs are the breakdown products of chemicals used to make non-stick and water- and stain-repellant products ranging from kitchen pans to clothing to food packaging.

In the study, rats were exposed to PAPs either orally or by injection and monitored for a three-week period to track the concentrations of the PAPs and PFCA metabolites, including PFOA, in their blood.

Human exposure to PAPs had already been established by the scientists in a previous study.

“We found the concentrations of PFOA from PAP metabolism to be significant and concluded that the metabolism of PAPs could be a major source of human exposure to PFOA, as well as other PFCAs,” said Scott Mabury, the lead researcher.

The study is published today in Environmental Health Perspectives. (ANI)

Filed under: Science and Technology

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