How to reduce your exposure to PFAS

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PFAS are found in some foods, but they can also get into our meals and snacks from certain types of food packaging and via PFAS-laden cooking utensils.

PFAS in food

The most concerning source of these chemicals is seafood caught in PFAS-contaminated waters, Dr. Woolf says. In fact, fish may be the food with the highest risk of PFAS contamination. In a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) survey of 81 types of seafood, PFAS was detected in three-quarters of the samples.

To limit your exposure, the FDA recommends checking local fish and shellfish consumption advisories before eating recreationally caught seafood. It also emphasizes that seafood can and should continue to be part of a healthy diet consisting of a variety of different foods.

PFAS can also enter crops or animals grown or processed in contaminated areas.

So if you’re buying local produce or meats, check local public health advisories first. You can also view this interactive map that shows sites in the United States with known or suspected PFAS contamination.

The FDA is testing the general food supply to get a better idea of the risk of PFAS exposure, but there is no reliable data on this yet.

PFAS in food packaging

PFAS are often used in packaging for fast or processed foods, and they are also found in bags of microwave popcorn.

To reduce your exposure, try air-popped popcorn instead of reaching for microwave-safe packets, and opt for more fresh foods rather than those that come in takeout containers or wrapped in parchment paper.

Indeed, one study found that eating more home-prepared foods was linked to lower overall levels of PFAS in the blood.

When it comes to the containers you store your food in, Dr. Cohen says to consider replacing plastic with glass or stainless steel. “The more solid the materials we transport and heat food in, the less likely the chemicals in those materials are to enter our bodies,” she says.

PFAS in kitchenware

Most nonstick pots and pans (such as Teflon products) are made with one or more PFAS, says Woolf, so you may want to opt instead for nontoxic cookware made from cast iron, stainless steel, glass, or enamel.

You may see some nonstick cookware labeled as “PFOA-free” or perfluorooctanoic acid, a type of PFAS that has been phased out, but these products may still contain other types of PFAS.

If purchasing new cookware isn’t in your budget right now, there are ways to reduce the risk of PFAS contamination from nonstick cookware, including:

Cook at medium and low temperatures, as high heat increases the risk of PFAS transferring to food or air.

Use wooden or other non-scratch cookware to avoid damaging the nonstick coating, as this could release PFAS.