More bad news from Whole Foods…
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Although Whole Foods Market is routinely hailed for their high standards on food, they’ve been ranked “worst” in a study of five major U.S. grocery chains for chemicals it uses in its hot-food bar packaging. (The company responded by removing all the coated paper products in question and has begun looking for new biodegradable packaging.)
“The study — released by watchdog groups Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families and Toxic-Free Future — found that Amazon.com Inc.’s grocer was the biggest offender when it came to food contact papers that appear to have been treated with a class of chemicals, some of which have been linked to cancer. They found high levels of fluorine in five of the 17 items tested at Whole Foods — four of which were containers for its salad and hot-food bar.”1
There was also a potential presence of PFAS in some of the containers. PFAS (“pee-fas,” or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) is a dangerous chemical that can cause cancer and has recently received renewed scrutiny from the Environmental Protection Agency.
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“The presence of fluorine is a sign that the items were likely treated with a type of PFAS, according to the study. The concerns around the chemicals are multiple: They may migrate to food held in the containers and can linger for a lengthy period in the human body. Some types have been shown to hamper the immune system or promote cancer, and have been phased out. While newer varieties have yet to be tested, those that have been examined show problems, scientists say. Because they never degrade, packaging sent to landfills and compost can end up contaminating soil and water.
Many kinds of PFAS are widely found in U.S. drinking water, and lawsuits from states, water districts and people who claim personal injury or property damage allege pollution through industrial sites or their use in fire-fighting foams.”2
Albertsons, Kroger and Ahold Delhaize NV (owner of Food Lion and Stop & Shop) also had a few items that tested positive for the substance (deli or bakery papers) but Trader Joe’s was the only company that had zero items.
Why? Because “Trader Joe’s has asked its vendors “to avoid the use of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in packaging for our products. In addition, Trader Joe’s does not have food bars or delis, so takeout food containers are typically not found in our stores,’ a spokeswoman for the grocer said in an email.”3
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I KNEW I liked Trader Joe’s!
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