Butter paper with no PFAS? Yes, please! Any way to reduce toxins we take.

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June 9, 2023

You may have heard the hubbub about Kerrygold needing to recall their butter after discovering it contained high levels of PFAS, which are forever chemicals. Ugh. Toxins are becoming harder and harder to avoid. When it comes to food, it’s not just about how the food is produced but also how it’s packaged.

This issue hit me personally. My local area (not the farm or the farms we work with) has issues with PFAS contamination, which was discovered when testing the school’s water. It was created by manufacturing in the area decades ago and is still in the well water in my area. Yikes!

I have 3 kids, and toxins like PFAS are so concerning to me. I’m not afraid of my kids being exposed to a toxin every now and then (that’s basically unavoidable nowadays), but I am worried about their toxic load getting too high for their bodies to handle.

What are PFAS anyway?

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (commonly known as PFAS) are manmade chemicals created through manufacturing many different types of products, mostly those that require non-stick or water/grease proof properties. There are thousands of kinds of PFAS. They are forever chemicals, because most don’t break down. If they do break down, it can take 1,000+ years.

Where can PFAS be found?

There are thousands of kinds of PFAS, and they can be found everywhere in nature today - water, air, insects, fish, animals, and in basically everyone’s blood (even umbilical cords)! They can be found in cookware, waterproof jackets, processed foods, makeup, carpets, bath and body products… the list could go on and on and on.

What happens if I’m exposed to PFAS?

PFAS are so prevalent that it’s no longer a question of “if” you’ve been exposed, it’s a question of “how much” exposure you’ve had. When exposed, PFAS can last up to 8 years or longer in your body, which means accumulation over time is a big concern.

PFAS are endocrine disrupting chemicals, which means they interfere with your hormones. PFAS contamination can cause a variety of chronic conditions like cancer, liver damage, decreased fertility and reproductive issues, autoimmune conditions, and increased risk of asthma and thyroid disease.

How do I know if there is PFAS in or on my food?

Well, the short answer is you can’t. It’s not something you can see or smell or taste. It’s not something that is required on the label. It could come from the packaging but can also be an ingredient in processed food or a coating on equipment or cookware used to make food.

Since the 1960s, the FDA has allowed specific PFAS to be in contact with food (despite knowing the risks). PFAS are allowed in four basic categories:

Non-stick cookware
Gaskets, O-rings, and other parts of machines used to process food
A “processing aid” in processed food to prevent sticking to machines
Paper/paperboard food packaging

That last one is where our butter paper comes into play. Many papers used to coat foods or bake contain PFAS. It’s not in the paper itself but in the waterproof coating on the paper. Think parchment paper, freezer paper, butcher paper, foil paper, etc.

All of this is terrible, but I have some great news - our butter paper is free of PFAS!!!

We love wrapping our butter in paper. It’s been a longtime customer request that is coming to full fruition this year. It helps us reduce the amount of plastic and packaging waste for all of us.

But, of course, in order to offer you the purest products, we also need to be mindful of our packaging choices. So, of course, we reached out to the paper manufacturer to find out more.

Our paper manufacturer sources raw materials from companies that test each material for PFAS, which is amazing. Here’s a statement from the manufacturer of the paraffin coating on our butter paper.

And just to be a little extra, here’s the safety data sheet for the coating, too.

So, in the chance that any of the paper coating transfers to the butter, you can be assured that our butter is PFAS-free!

Are you concerned about toxins and PFAS? What do you do to reduce your exposure? What do you do to support your body detoxing?

Health and Nutrition

Raw Dairy

Cooking

Should I choose animal rennet or vegetable rennet in my natural cheese?

Let’s take a look at what rennet is and why it’s used in cheesemaking, compare the different types of animal and vegetable rennets, check out the labeling requirements for rennet, and consider the potential health consequences. Keeping all this in mind, Miller’s Bio Farm aims to produce the most nutrient-dense, natural, A2/A2 cheese we can and gives you all the info you need to make the choice that’s best for your body!

Is yolk color is no longer a great indicator of the egg's nutrition?

It used to be true that, if your egg yolks were darker in color, then the better the egg's nutrition. Conscious consumers of the past would look for that deep orange yolk and stray away from lighter yellow yolks. It's sad, but this simply isn't the case anymore. Here's why you can't trust cheap store-bought eggs with orange yolks and need to know your farmer instead.

How did pork get a bad rep anyway? Why is Miller's pork exceptional?

Did you know that, globally, pork is the #1 meat? According to the UN, 10% more pork is eaten compared to poultry worldwide. And, 50% more pork is eaten compared to beef worldwide. Wow! But, for some reason, this isn't the case in the US. According to the USDA, pork ranks #3 when it comes to meat. Americans eat 30% less pork compared to poultry and 15% less compared to beef. Why is this? Well, pork has gotten a pretty bad rep in the US. Of course there are some religions that prohibit pork, but that's not the leading factor. Some reasons why pork has a bad rep. 1- Too much saturated fat. The low fat craze started in the 1970s and fizzled out in the 1990s. It came from the belief that (1) fat makes us fat; and (2) that too much saturated fat = high cholesterol = bad things like heart disease and cholesterol. These myths have been debunked. Read more in fats and health blog post. The bottom line is that not all fats are created equal. Natural animal fats from happy, healthy animals are good. It's those highly processed hydrogenated saturated fats that are bad. In other words, eat all the pork fat! 2- Worry about disease. People still seem to think they can get sick from pork. There's fear of parasites (like the roundworm Trichinella spiralis that can cause trichinosis) or bacteria or other things. The reality is that getting sick from pork is really rare nowadays. If you cook pork properly, you don't need to worry about disease. Muscle meat (like chops or tenderloin) should be cooked to 145F. Ground meat and organs should be cooked to 160F. 3- Worry of bad ingredients. This only relates to processed pork like hot dogs and bacon and ham. There's truth to this one. Nitrates and nitrites, commonly used in curing conventional pork, have been shown to cause cancer and other health issues. And stabilizers, artificial colors, preservatives, and other additives have been linked to negative health outcomes, too. But, this isn't the case for all pork. How meat it's processed matters a lot. At Miller's, we don't put any of that yucky junk in our meat, even the salami and bacon and sausages (more on that below). 4- Worry that eating pork will have a negative affect on your blood. The Weston A. Price Foundation did a bunch of research on this. It's true that plain pork can cause blood clotting and inflammation. However, properly preparing pork (by marinating it in vinegar or naturally curing it) or by eating pork with fermented veggies like sauerkraut removes these negative effects. Read more about pork and your blood in this blog post. 5- The belief that pigs are "dirty". I think this one mainly comes from the fact that pigs roll around in mud. They do this to protect their nearly hairless bodies. It's like natural sunscreen. It doesn't mean the meat is dirty at all. It may also come from the fact that pigs are often treated as garbage disposals. They will literally eat anything. And that includes kitchen scraps, meat processing scraps, curdled milk, and more. But again, not all pork is created equal. When you source from trusted farms, you can actually know that the pigs are eating clean food and are rolling around in chemical-free mud. 6- Strange rumors that pigs are deformed. This one came from Nailea on the farm. At some point, she watched a video about how some pigs are born without buttholes or have odd deformities or become cancerous. Yet, despite their weirdness, they're still raised for meat. I don't know how true this is for conventional pigs. But, it's certainly not true for our pigs. They are intact and happy and healthy. And our processor would never give us meat that's weird or cancerous. Why you should eat pork. I'm here to inform you that, when produced naturally and properly, pork is pretty awesome. It's high in protein, zinc, iron, and B vitamins (particularly the "anti-stress" vitamin B1 - read more about thiamine and pork in this blog post). It's packed with quality, healthy saturated fats. And it's the most affordable meat and can be produced year round. This is why people around the world love pork. I think you should love pork, too! Miller's pork is not just any old pork. Here are 6 quick reasons it stands above the rest: 1- Woodland raised. Our pigs get plenty of exercise and forage for countless nuts and grubs and roots. This diverse diet gives our pork some extra flavor. And you can be assured that the environment is free of chemicals and is a happy place for our pigs to live. 2- Corn & soy free. This means low PUFA and no chance of GMOs. We haven't tested our pork like we did for our chicken and eggs. But, if we did, I assume we'd get similar results with our pork having balanced omegas and packed with vitamins and minerals. 3- Heritage breeds. Our pigs are Berkshire, Duroc, Red Waddle, and Black crosses. These heritage breeds are known for their intensity of flavor, juiciness, marbling, and tenderness. It's nothing like the bland, dry pork you often get at the grocery store. 4- No junk like nitrates or additives. We reduce toxins and anything unnatural as much as possible. Our bacon is cured simply with Celtic sea salt (in a store it would have "uncured" on the label). Our sausages have clean ingredients, no weird thickeners or preservatives. Our salami is cured naturally with celery juice powder. 5- Washed in organic apple cider vinegar. No harsh chemicals like bleach or citric and lactic acids touch our pork. We are so fortunate to have a naturally minded processor! 6- No drugs. We don't vaccinate. We don't give antibiotics or hormones or anything like that. Through a natural diet and lifestyle, our pigs stay naturally healthy. Do you eat pork? Why or why not? What do you look for when shopping for pork? I'd love to hear from you. Comment below - no account required (start typing for the guest option to appear). 😊 ----- SOURCES: UN Report: Livestock commoditiesUSDA: Chicken leads U.S. per person availability of meat over last decade False Facts About Pork Everyone Actually BelievesIs Pork Bad for You? Here's What a Dietitian Has to Say

Butter paper with no PFAS? Yes, please! Any way to reduce toxins we take.

What are PFAS anyway?

Where can PFAS be found?

What happens if I’m exposed to PFAS?

How do I know if there is PFAS in or on my food?

All of this is terrible, but I have some great news - our butter paper is free of PFAS!!!

Are you concerned about toxins and PFAS? What do you do to reduce your exposure? What do you do to support your body detoxing?

More from the blog

Should I choose animal rennet or vegetable rennet in my natural cheese?

Is yolk color is no longer a great indicator of the egg's nutrition?

How did pork get a bad rep anyway? Why is Miller's pork exceptional?

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Miller's Bio Farm, 523 Valley Road, Quarryville, PA 17566