Meat packaging is a layered chemical problem. The black plastic trays that most fresh meat is sold on are frequently made from recycled electronics-contaminated plastic, as documented in the same Chemosphere study that identified flame retardants in kitchen utensils. The absorbent pads beneath meat may contain PFAS-based coatings. The plastic wrap over the top is often PVC with phthalate plasticisers. And the combination of fatty meat, warm supermarket temperatures, and prolonged contact creates near-ideal conditions for chemical migration.
Black plastic trays
The 2023 Chemosphere study tested black plastic items across categories and found flame retardant contamination in food service trays as well as in kitchen utensils. Decabromodiphenyl ether and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) were among the compounds detected. Both are persistent bioaccumulative toxins. The migration rate from a cold plastic tray is lower than from a heated cooking utensil, but meat packaging sits against fatty meat for hours to days at supermarket and refrigerator temperatures, which allows some migration. Fat-soluble compounds migrate preferentially into fatty foods, which is why high-fat meat products are the highest concern.
Absorbent meat pads
The absorbent pad in packaged meat is a soaker pad designed to absorb exudate (the liquid that leaches from meat during storage). Most soaker pads consist of silica gel or cellulose crystals inside a permeable plastic mesh covering. Some soaker pads have been found to use PFAS-based superabsorbent polymers or PFAS-coated materials to improve their absorption characteristics. Testing by consumer organisations has found PFAS migration from soaker pads into meat in contact. The FDA has approved certain PFAS for food contact materials, creating a legal but potentially problematic pathway for consumer exposure.
PFAS-coated packaging
PFAS-coated packaging is used widely in fast food packaging, microwave popcorn bags, and some fresh food packaging to provide grease resistance. The concern is that PFAS can migrate from the packaging into food, particularly fatty food at elevated temperatures. A number of studies have found PFAS compounds in food samples from PFAS-coated packaging. The FDA and EPA have both identified this as a significant dietary exposure route. Several major food companies have committed to eliminating PFAS from food packaging under pressure from NGOs and state-level regulatory action.
What to do at the supermarket
Remove meat from packaging as soon as you get home
Transfer fresh meat to a glass or stainless steel container in the refrigerator. Do not let meat sit against packaging any longer than necessary. Remove and discard the soaker pad.
Buy from the butcher counter where possible
Butcher counter meat is typically packaged in plain white paper, not in plastic-tray packaging. Paper is not a perfect solution but is a significantly lower chemical migration risk than black plastic trays with soaker pads.
Freeze in paper or stainless steel, not in the original packaging
If freezing, transfer to freezer-safe paper or a stainless steel container. The plastic tray packaging is not designed for freezer use and temperature cycling further degrades the plastic matrix.