Can PFAS from grease-proof takeout containers get into your food?

What's actually in it

Takeout containers often use PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) to stop grease and water from soaking through the paper. These are a large group of synthetic chemicals designed to be resistant to heat and oil. They aren't just sitting in the paper. They are mobile.

When your hot, greasy food touches these containers, these chemicals can move from the packaging into your meal. This is known as migration. You aren't just eating your lunch. You are also consuming the chemicals used to keep the container from getting soggy.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Chemosphere confirms that these substances are present in consumer food packaging. The science is clear: these materials act as a source of chemical exposure.

Another 2026 study in J Hazard Mater used advanced screening to look at what comes out of paper-based food contact materials. The researchers found that various substances migrate from the packaging into the food. This peer-reviewed research highlights that the chemicals added to our takeout supplies don't stay put.

Furthermore, a 2026 study in Chemosphere notes that current testing methods are now exposing previously untargeted PFAS in consumer products. We are learning that the problem is even broader than we once thought.