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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Microbial and Chemical Food Safety » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #428952
Research Project: Technology Development, Evaluation and Validation for the Detection and Characterization of Chemical Contaminants in Foods

Location: Microbial and Chemical Food Safety

Title: Assessment of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in consumer food packaging

Author
item STROSKI, KEVIN - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE)
item Sapozhnikova, Yelena

Submitted to: Chemosphere
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/1/2026
Publication Date: 1/8/2026
Citation: Stroski, K., Sapozhnikova, Y.V. 2026. Assessment of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in consumer food packaging. Chemosphere. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144824.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2026.144824

Interpretive Summary: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made chemicals widely used in many commercial and industrial applications, including in food contact materials (FCMs). Diet is considered a major route of human exposure, encompassing both food and PFAS migration from FCMs. We have developed and validated a simple and fast analytical method for 73 PFAS from 15 different classes in paper and plastic FCMs. The developed method was applied to test PFAS in 66 food packaging samples from packaged chicken, pork, beef, and catfish collected from the grocery stores around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Overall, nine PFAS were found with total concentrations 0.11-16.3 ng/g. Comparison of PFAS found in FCMs with those found in the corresponding packaged food samples tested in our previous study showed no evidence of PFAS migration from FCMs to packaged food.

Technical Abstract: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been detected in food and food contact materials (FCMs) worldwide, causing concerns for human exposure through diet. In this study, we have developed and validated a new method for analysis of 73 PFAS from 15 different classes in paper and plastic FCMs. The method was based on methanolic extraction and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis and was validated at three spiking levels with five replicates per level. Acceptable recoveries and repeatability were achieved for 96-100% of analytes between various spiking levels and food packaging materials. We further applied the validated method to test 66 paper and plastic food packaging materials that were in direct contact with the previously tested food samples of chicken, pork, beef and catfish purchased from grocery stores in the US. Nine PFAS were detected in the samples: 8:2 FTSA, 6:2 diPAP, 8:2 diPAP, diSAmPAP, PFBA, PFHxA, PFOA, PFBS and PFOS with 'PFAS concentrations ranging from 0.11 – 16.3 ng/g. At least one PFAS was detected in 64% of the samples. The most frequently detected PFAS was 6:2 diPAP found in 61% of samples, across all material types in concentrations 0.09 – 10.3 ng/g. Results suggest no evidence of PFAS migration from FCMs tested in this study to packaged food tested in our previous study.