The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that grease-proofing materials containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are no longer being sold for use in food packaging in the United States. FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Jim Jones said in a news release that a major source of dietary exposure to PFAS is being eliminated, noting that PFAS can be found in food packaging such as fast-food wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, take-out paperboard containers and pet food bags. Exposure to some types of PFAS—a diverse group of chemicals that resist grease, oil, water and heat—has been linked to serious health effects.

Jones said the announcement is the result of a combination of FDA research and industry cooperation, noting that manufacturers voluntarily agreed not to sell in the United States food-contact substances containing certain PFAS intended for use as grease-proofing agents. “This FDA-led effort represents a positive step forward as we continue to reevaluate chemicals authorized for use with, and in, food,” he said. “It underscores an important milestone in the protection of U.S. consumers from potentially harmful food-contact chemicals.”