Improving Ways to Detect PFAS in Food Packaging

ARS researchers have developed an improved method for finding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food packaging, which could help reduce prevalence of “forever chemicals” in the products that we consume. 

There are over 16,000 chemicals that are considered to have PFAS chemistry, but many of their identities are unknown, and analytical standards for their testing are not available. As a result, only about 40 PFAS are routinely tested using targeted methods, while many others remain undetected. These chemicals may be potentially harmful to human health if entered into the food supply.

To address this challenge, ARS researchers at the Eastern Regional Research Center in Wyndmoor, PA, developed non-targeted workflows using high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) to identify unknown PFAS in food packaging samples. The developed workflows were validated to minimize the rates of false positives and false negatives. The results demonstrated the prevalence of both emerging and legacy PFAS in food packaging samples, with some identified PFAS reported for the first time that may be added to target lists in the future. The PFAS research is part of ARS’s commitment to ensure that the nation maintains one of the safest, and abundant, high quality food supplies in the world.