Is Fast Food Another Source of Fluoride?

I’ve written a lot about excessive fluoride exposure causing many health problems, including calcified arteries. Now that Utah has banned fluoride in drinking water, it’s time for other states to follow suit.

While toothpaste and drinking water are the most common sources of fluoride, they aren’t the only ways you can be exposed to excessive levels of this mineral.

Fast food packaging is yet another way.

Researchers at the Department of Chemistry, University of California at Berkeley tested about 400 pieces of food packaging from 27 fast food chains in 2014 and 2015. The samples included popular spots such as McDonald’s, Burger King, Taco Bell, Chick-Fil-A, Jimmy John’s, Quiznos, Starbucks, and Dunkin’ Donuts. They were looking for special fluoride-based chemicals called PFASs (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in the packaging materials in which these foods are wrapped.

PFASs are highly persistent synthetic chemicals used in the manufacture of paper products. Researchers have found that some PFASs are associated with cancer, developmental toxicity, immunotoxicity, and other less-than-pleasant health effects. So these researchers wanted to know if the PFASs in grease-resistant food packaging can leach into the food wrapped in it. Here’s what they found.

“We found that 46% of food contact papers and 20% of paperboard samples contained detectable fluorine. Liquid chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis of a subset of 20 samples found perfluorocarboxylates, perfluorosulfonates, and other known PFASs.” Specifically, they found that desert and bread wrappers contained the most fluorine, 56%. Sandwich and hamburger wrappings came in second with 36%. French fries containers came in third with 20%. And surprisingly, paper cups were completely free.

Now, you have one more reason for avoiding fast food restaurants. Is it okay to indulge every now and then? If you’re healthy, I don’t see a big reason not to have a sandwich or fries wrapped up in some paper with PFASs. But I wouldn’t want anyone to make a regular habit of it. And keep in mind that fluoride per se is not toxic. In fact it is found in many foods, with the highest concentrations in tea, seafood, bone meal, spinach, and gelatin. The problem is that when it is deliberately put it in the drinking water, the population is getting exposed to excessive levels that are toxic. And as this study shows, once it is in the public water supply, it will find its way into all kinds of other exposures.

Yours for better health,

Frank Shallenberger, MD