Chemicals used in pizza boxes and similar food packaging that are found to be harmful to health have been banned in the US. However, these chemicals which have been linked to cancer are still largely used in pizza boxes and similar takeaway and paperboard packaging in the UK.
This is not the worst part apparently as a very recent scientific revelation state that these same chemicals used on pizza boxes and similar food packaging have been found to cause mutation in the sexual organs among snails, according to the Mirror.
Scottish marine biology expert Dr Mark Hartl of Heriot-Watt University explains the findings where perfluoroalkyls caused the inhibition of an enzyme necessary to sexual development in females. This eventually caused in the female test snails a testosterone build-up that led to their masculinization and the mutation of their sexual organs into those of males, reported Pizza News.
Fears are understandably raised over this indication that human females may actually be turned into males as a side-effect of toxic pizza boxes and similar food packaging. The negative repercussions of exposure to these chemicals, according to Dr Hartl, also includes genetic disruption in young children.
The chemicals, perfluorochemicals (PFCs) or perfluoroalkyl ethyl, are used as grease stoppers by food packaging companies. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services specifically defines PFCs as "...a group of chemicals used to make fluoropolymer coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water."
Congruent to the ban, the US Food and Drug Administration proposed an amendment to the US regulation on food additive, Express reported. This will disallow the use of three specific perfluoroalkyl ethyl food contact substances (FCSs) as water and oil stoppers on paper and paperboard packaging for watery, liquid-containing and greasy foods.
In the UK, the Watchdogs Food Standards Scotland admit both to being aware of the US ban and to a lack of specific ruling on chemical use on food packaging: "There is no specific European legislation on the chemicals that can be used in paper board, but suppliers of such materials need to demonstrate that it is compliant and it is safe.
"Any pizza boxes used in Scotland must comply."
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