The Toxic Fast Food Condiment Mistake Everyone Needs To Avoid
The investigation found PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in varied packaging from many retailers when testing over 100 different products. Included in these alarm-bell-ringers were McDonald's, Trader Joe's, Burger King, and Chick-fil-A. Many of these companies have subsequently committed to reducing their reliance on PFAS-containing packaging. But is it worth the risk? Probably not. PFAS exposure is linked with cancer, organ damage, and hormonal difficulties; the chemicals transfer the exact risks to the environment, too, endangering wildlife. It's a dangerous cycle, so avoid non-traditional bag use and play it safe. Yes, it really is time to break the habit of a lifetime.
Read more: For Fresh, Not Frozen Fast Food, Try These 12 Popular Chains
Avoiding cross-contamination is a wise choice. Why juggle with fire? However, that is just one small step towards protecting yourself from PFAS. After committing to never again squirting condiments on your paper bags, what next? Ideally, limit the amount of fast food you consume. PFAS are heavily bio-accumulative, meaning they tend to build up in our systems over time. The less exposure to fast food, the lower your overall risk.
If that sounds impossible, though, focus on limiting exposure to packaging instead. Remove the food from its wrappers immediately, and never reheat items in their original boxing. When heated, these containers can leach. Styrofoam and plastic are common culprits (hence why you should think twice before you reheat Chinese takeout in the containers).
As for the future of fast-food packaging? You might recall that at least two fast food chains were sued over this forever chemicals report. One of these was McDonald's, which subsequently committed to eliminating all PFAS from its packaging by 2025. As of 2024, there were announcements that McDonald's was updating its McFlurry cups with sustainability in mind. And the FDA has said that packaging containing PFAS is no longer sold in the U.S. However, the agency continues to test many products and even allows them in some circumstances. In short, the needle is slowly moving. However, consumer awareness is non-negotiable — be proactive, and ensure you do your best to limit your own intake. There's no better protection than prevention.
Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
US and China to talk in Stockholm as trade truce expiration nears
When top US and Chinese officials meet in Stockholm on Monday, it's likely that they will agree to leave tariffs at the current levels, if they don't secure a more favourable framework. Analysts say the two sides are working to secure a more lasting trade deal ahead of a meeting between their presidents later this year. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng are holding talks on Monday for the third time this year. This round of discussions is taking place in the Swedish capital, nearly four months after President Donald Trump upset global trade with his sweeping tariff proposal, including an import tax that shot up to 145% on Chinese goods. 'We have the confines of a deal with China,' Trump said on Friday. Bessent told MSNBC on Wednesday that the two countries had reached a 'status quo' after talks in Geneva and London, with the US taxing imported goods from China at 30% and China responding with a 10% tariff, on top of tariffs prior to the start of Trump's second term in office. 'Now we can move on to discussing other matters in terms of bringing the economic relationship into balance,' Bessent said. He was referring to the US running a $295.5 billion (€253.1bn) trade deficit last year. Washington is seeking an agreement that would enable it to export more to China and shift the Chinese economy more toward domestic consumer spending. The Chinese embassy in Washington said Beijing hopes 'there will be more consensus and cooperation and less misperception' coming out of the talks. With an eye on a possible leaders' summit, Stockholm could provide some answers as to the timeline and viability of that particular goal ahead of a possible meeting between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. 'The meeting will be important in starting to set the stage for a fall meeting between Trump and Xi,' said Wendy Cutler, a former US trade negotiator and now vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute. 'Beijing will likely insist on detailed preparations before they agree to a leaders' meeting.' In Stockholm, the two sides are likely to focus on commercial announcements to be made at a leaders' summit as well as agreements to address 'major irritants', such as China's industrial overcapacity and its lack of control over chemicals used to make fentanyl, also to be announced when Xi and Trump should meet, Cutler said. Sean Stein, president of the US-China Business Council, said Stockholm could be the first real opportunity for the two governments to address structural reform issues including market access in China for US companies. What businesses will be seeking coming out of Stockholm would largely be 'the atmosphere' — how the two sides characterise the discussions. They will also look for clues about a possible leaders' summit, as any real deal will hinge on the two presidents meeting each other, he said. Fentanyl-related tariffs are likely a focus for China In Stockholm, Beijing will likely demand the removal of the 20% fentanyl-related tariff that Trump imposed earlier this year, said Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Washington-based Stimson Center. This round of the US-China trade dispute began with fentanyl, when Trump in February imposed a 10% tariff on Chinese goods, citing that China failed to curb the outflow of the chemicals used to make the drug. The following month, Trump added another 10% tax for the same reason. Beijing retaliated with extra duties on some US goods, including coal, liquefied natural gas, and farm products such as beef, chicken, pork and soy. In Geneva, both sides climbed down from three-digit tariffs rolled out following Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs in April, but the US kept the 20% 'fentanyl' tariffs, in addition to the 10% baseline rate — to which China responded by keeping the same 10% rate on US products. These across-the-board duties were unchanged when the two sides met in London a month later to negotiate over non-tariff measures such as export controls on critical products. Related Beijing confirms that it has signed a trade agreement with the US Volvo Cars CEO: dual tech for China and the West is new trade reality The Chinese government has long protested that American politicians blame China for the fentanyl crisis in the US but argued the root problem lies with the US itself. Washington says Beijing is not doing enough to regulate precursor chemicals that flow out of China into the hands of drug dealers. In July, China placed two fentanyl ingredients under enhanced control, a move seen as in response to US pressure and signalling goodwill. Gabriel Wildau, managing director at the consultancy Teneo, said he doesn't expect any tariff to go away in Stockholm but that tariff relief could be part of a final trade deal. 'It's possible that Trump would cancel the 20% tariff that he has explicitly linked with fentanyl, but I would expect the final tariff level on China to be at least as high as the 15-20% rate contained in the recent deals with Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam,' Wildau said. US wants China to dump less, buy less oil from Russia and Iran China's industrial overcapacity is as much a headache for the United States as it is for the European Union. Even Beijing has acknowledged the problem but suggested it might be difficult to address. America's trade imbalance with China has decreased from a peak of $418bn (€358bn) in 2018, according to the Census Bureau. But China has found new markets for its goods; the world's dominant manufacturer ran a global trade surplus approaching $1 trillion last year — somewhat larger than the size of the US overall trade deficit in 2024. And China's emergence as a manufacturer of electric vehicles and other emerging technologies has suddenly made it more of a financial and geopolitical threat for those same industries based in the US, Europe, Japan and South Korea. 'Some enterprises, especially manufacturing enterprises, feel more deeply that China's manufacturing capabilities are too strong, and Chinese people are too hardworking. Factories run 24 hours a day,' Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Thursday when hosting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Beijing. 'Some people think this will cause some new problems in the balance of supply and demand in world production.' Li added: 'We see this problem too.' Bessent also said the Stockholm talks could address Chinese purchases of Russian and Iranian oil. However, Wildau of Teneo said China could demand some US security concessions in exchange, such as a reduced US military presence in East Asia and scaled-back diplomatic support for Taiwan and the Philippines. This would likely face political pushback in Washington. The Stockholm talks will be 'geared towards building a trade agreement based around Chinese purchase commitments and pledges of investment in the US in exchange for partial relief from U.S. tariffs and export controls,' Wildau said. He doubts there will be a grand deal. Instead, he predicts 'a more limited agreement based around fentanyl'. 'That,' he said, 'is probably the preferred outcome for China hawks in the Trump administration, who worry that an overeager Trump might offer too much to Xi.' Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Oil Prices Up 2.5% As OPEC+ Agrees To Maintain Production Levels
OPEC+ stuck to the script at Monday's Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) meeting, offering no changes to current output policy and little surprise for market watchers. The virtual meeting—its 61st—reviewed production data from May and June and confirmed what most already suspected: while the group remains on track with its broad plans, not every member is keeping pace. The committee emphasized once again the 'critical importance' of full conformity with the agreed production levels, especially in light of the phased unwinding of 2.2 million bpd in voluntary cuts that began earlier this year. Countries that underdelivered on those pledges have until August 18 to submit updated compensation plans—essentially, promises to make up for past shortfalls. The JMMC also reiterated its role in monitoring output targets set at the 38th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting last December and the voluntary adjustments announced in February. Importantly, the committee stressed—again—that it doesn't actually make production decisions, a clarification aimed at tempering market expectations ahead of each meeting. The 548,000 bpd production increase scheduled for August still appears on track, though execution remains uneven. As noted ahead of the meeting, not all members have delivered their share of the increases to date, which has muted the market impact of these headline figures. OPEC's latest internal outlook shows steady demand through the second half of 2025 but warns of persistent risks—soft macro data, weaker-than-hoped Chinese momentum, and rising EV penetration, among others. So far, the strategy appears to be steady as she goes. The next JMMC meeting is set for October 1. Until then, traders will be watching for more signs of whether the promised barrels actually show up—or whether compliance issues will force another recalibration. By Julianne Geiger for More Top Reads From this article on Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Oil prices rise on EU-US trade deal and Trump comments on Ukraine
Oil prices rose on Monday afternoon in Europe after US President Donald Trump said he would reduce the deadline for Russian President Vladimir Putin to reach a peace deal with Ukraine. WTI was up around 2.2% at $66.50 a barrel, while Brent crude oil was up around 2% at $69.80, as of 15.00 CEST. Trump issued the 50-day timeline to Putin in July, claiming that he would hit Russia with a 100% tariff if Moscow didn't end the war in Ukraine. 'I'm disappointed in President Putin, very disappointed in him. So we're going to have to look and I'm going to reduce that 50 days that I gave him to a lesser number,' Trump told reporters in Scotland on Monday. 'I think I already know the answer, what's going to happen,' Trump said. The president was preparing to meet UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Oil prices had risen earlier in the day on Monday as investors reacted to news of a EU-US trade deal, announced on Sunday. Among other provisions, the EU agreed to buy $750 billion of US energy products, including oil, LNG, and nuclear energy over three years. Related US and China to talk in Stockholm as trade truce expiration nears Oil prices rise despite fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel The deal means that the EU will face a 15% tariff on most of its goods when Trump's tariff deadline ends on 1 August, rather than a threatened 30% rate. European stock markets also jumped during Monday morning trading on the news, before settling in the afternoon. Trump's tariff threats have previously deflated oil prices this year as investors predicted that a potential economic slowdown could affect demand for oil. Geopolitical risk, on the other hand, has stoked prices in cases where investors have expected threats to supply. US attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, for example, prompted a spike in oil prices in June. An OPEC+ committee meeting is taking place on Monday, where participants will decide on production policy for September. Both the International Energy Agency and the US Energy Information Administration expect a strong oil surplus next year, with supply outpacing demand. After securing a deal with the EU, Washington has now set its sights on negotiations with China. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are meeting with Chinese officials, including Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, on Monday in Stockholm. China and the US agreed to temporarily lower reciprocal tariffs during a 90-day truce period, set to expire on 12 August. There are hopes that the two nations will be able to extend the grace period, with China currently taxing US goods at 10% and the US taxing Chinese goods at 30%.
