The FDA Says Certain Chemicals In Pizza Boxes Are Trying To Kill You

Say it ain't so.

According to the FDA, deadly chemicals commonly found in pizza boxes could be leaching onto slices everywhere. Whether you go mushroom or meat lovers, it seems all pizza-loving people are at risk. That's basically everyone on the planet.

The three chemicals in question are all in the perfluoroalkyl ethyl family and have long, incomprehensible names:

1. Diethanolamine salts of mono- and bis (1 H, 1 H, 2 H, 2Hperfluoroalkyl) phosphates where the alkyl group is even-numbered in the range C8-C18 and the salts have a fluorine content of 52.4 percent to 54.4 percent as determined on a solids basis; 2. Pentanoic acid, 4,4-bis [(gamma-omega-perfluoro-C8-20-alkyl)thio] derivatives, compounds with diethanolamine (CAS Reg. No. 71608-61-2); and 3. Perfluoroalkyl substituted phosphate ester acids, ammonium salts formed by the reaction of 2,2-bis[([gamma], [omega]-perfluoro C4-20 alkylthio) methyl]-1,3-propanediol, polyphosphoric acid and ammonium hydroxide.

They're used primarily as "oil and water repellents for paper and paperboard for use in contact with aqueous and fatty foods." The death factor comes from the fact that our bodies cannot eliminate them, leaving the chemicals to build up over time to toxic levels.

It'll take serious innovation to redesign the iconic pizza box. In the meantime, we'll have to keep ourselves content with the pizza box art lining the walls of CPK.

Citations: Pizza boxes will kill you, says FDA (Death and Taxes)