PFAS in Popcorn

Popcorn has held the American public in a chokehold since its inception and the process of packaging this snack into its most convenient form has played out over recent decades, taking a variety of forms. One very memorable design consisted of a single-use aluminum pan with an expandable top, that when placed on a stove burner, would swell up with the popped kernels. The most common form used today is not quite as iconic but equally convenient. It’s the folded, waxy paper, plastic-wrapped bag we’ve all microwaved for just a little too long at least once.

It’s that popular form that is currently under scrutiny. One study in the last year took a look at popcorn that was being exported from the US to Indonesia and tested each variety for PFAS chemicals. Of the 29 varieties tested, ALL of them contained PFAS chemicals. Another study looked at the level of PFAS chemicals in the blood of about 10,000 people and noticed that for those participants who had been eating microwave popcorn regularly, the level of PFAS contamination in their blood was 63% higher than average!

PFAS chemicals are often used to make certain items nonstick or waterproof. In the case of popcorn, the slick surface that oil slides right off of isn’t just wax as you might have assumed. Maybe it was at one point but these days, synthetic chemicals assist and making sure that the ingredients packed into the microwavable popcorn, stay with the popcorn (somewhat). It’s the same category of chemicals that you may have heard about in the news being linked to increased instances of cancer for firefighters and military personnel. They are also linked to decreased fertility in both men and women, liver damage, high blood pressure, and thyroid disease.

All-in-all PFAS chemicals are not something you want more of in your life, either in the form of wearable materials or food packaging! Luckily, it is fairly easy to make popcorn without the coated bags. Not only are there a number of reusable microwavable options, but popcorn is excellent popped fresh on the stove. We’d encourage you to become the popcorn wizard of your household and go crazy with all your favorite toppings.

Here’s an easy video for making your own homemade popcorn: Click Here!