Trader Joe’s is a very popular American grocery store chain which houses a lot of items, including foods and drinks. One of the most popular item of Trader Joe’s is their Sparkling Water, which many customers purchase and enjoy on a regular basis.
While many of the sparkling waters and other similar products out there have PFAS (synthetic and harmful chemical compounds) absorbed into it due to the packaging, Trader Joe’s sparkling water does not. Since December, 2018, Trader Joe’s has become PFAS free and no longer uses harmful PFAS in their food and drink packaging.
Read this article to find out more about Trader Joe’s sparkling water, what it contains, as well as what PFAS are and how they can be harmful to your health as a consumer.
Understanding PFAS
Before we elaborate on the correlation of bottled water and PFAS, you should first know what PFAS actually are and why they’re important to know about.
What Are PFAS?
PFAS (full name: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) is a toxic chemical substance which is very long lasting as its components break down very slowly over time.
These chemicals are not naturally occurring, they’re man-made chemicals used worldwide for industrial purposes.
Sources and Prevalence of PFAS in the Environment
PFAS has been used industrially to make materials such as nonstick pans, water-repellant clothes, cosmetics, and products that are grease, oil, and water resistant. They’re also present in common take-out packaging materials present at your local grocery stores.
Due to the reason that PFAS are used almost in every product packaging ever, the chemical has integrated into our daily lives and environment.
This has prevailed to the point where you’ll now find trace amounts of it not only in packaged foods and drinks, but also in human/animal bloodstreams. Now, PFAS are found in water, soil, and air almost everywhere across the globe.
Health Effects and Concerns Associated With PFAS Exposure
PFAS is first and foremost a chemical, and as chemicals do, it has some seriously hazardous effects on the human body if exposed or ingested. Here are some of the important side effects listed in detail:
- Cancer
- Heart diseases
- Skin conditions
- Immune system problems
- High cholesterol
- Liver damage
- Insulin dysregulation
- Increased risk of thyroid and asthma
Trader Joe’s Sparkling Water
Trader Joe’s has a long list of food and drink items under its name, so it’s no wonder it also produces sparkling water.
The Trader Joe’s sparkling water offers you a lot of taste variety and comes in various different flavorings such as pineapple, cranberry, grapefruit, and blueberry lemonade to name a few.
How Trader Joe’s Sparkling Water Is Made and Packaged
The brand’s sparkling water is not only organically sourced, but also contains natural ingredients. Thus many customers consider it a very healthy yet flavorful way of attaining their daily fluid intake.
The water is sourced from underground sources in various counties of California, containing naturally sourced minerals only.
Trader Joe’s sparkling water is made by naturally or artificially carbonating the naturally sourced water and then selling it in packaging like biodegradable plastic bottles and cans.
Labeling and Certifications for Trader Joe’s Sparkling Water
The ingredient labels on Trader Joe’s sparkling water state that the water is made up of 3 main ingredients; water, carbon dioxide and natural flavoring.
They are not only sugar free, but are also artificial flavor free, promising only the most organic taste possible. The labels also tell you how much mineral and fat content is present within the sparkling water.
The product is also fair for life certified, as well as certified by USDA as an organic product.
Presence of PFAS in Trader Joe’s sparkling water
Since PFAS can also be found in drinking water, many wonder if brands like Trader Joe’s sparkling water products also contain the chemicals. Short answer: no.
Trader Joe’s does not make packaging that contains any amount of PFAS, in accordance with the newly laid out rules of the FDA.
PFAS in Drinking Water and Beverages
Since PFAS was a chemical used a lot in industrial packaging of foods and drinks, it’s no surprise that you’ll still find drinking water packaged in bottles made of PFAS.
Many manufacturers of drinking water and beverages, such as Nestle, Poland spring and Ice mountain still use PFAS to package the product.
PFAS in Trader Joe’s Sparkling Water
Ever since the ordination of FDA came out, telling manufacturers to reduce the use of PFAS in food and drink packaging, Trader Joe’s immediately committed to the act.
Since then, Trader Joe’s has made sure that its vendors cease the use of PFAS in their packaging. Thus, it’ll be sufficing to say that the Trader Joe’s sparkling water packaging contains little to no PFAS.
This is a stark contrast to many other brands out there with high levels of PFAS still included in their sparkling water packaging, the most prominent of them being:
- Topo Chico
- Bubly Sparkling Water
- Polar Natural Seltzer Water
- Poland Spring Sparkling Water
- LaCroix Sparkling Water
Health Effects and Concerns of PFAS in Drinking Water
Overall, the health effects of PFAS exposure have not been very positive on both human and animal life alike. Not only does this chemical never cease to exist or filter out once it has entered the body, but according to the Illinois Department of Public Health, if you keep drinking water contaminated with PFAS, it can lead to:
- Increased cholesterol
- Hormone disruption
- Decreased fertility in women
- High blood pressure
- Decreased vaccine response
Therefore, FDA recently came up with regulations to decrease and ultimately, completely ban the manufacturing of PFAS for food and drink packaging, to reduce the risk to human life and our environment. These regulations must be strictly followed if we want to save our planet and preserve it for future generations.
Consumer Attitudes Towards PFAS in Food and Beverages
The boom of research on PFAS and more studies exploring the effects of the chemical have made the consumers more aware of what they need to look for in a food packaging while buying the products.
Some products, not all, have the labels PFAS-free on their packaging, however, many consumers now know which food and beverages to avoid due to their high PFAS content simply by searching it up on the internet. Thus the preference for PFAS-free products has been gradually increasing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Trader Joe’s Sparkling Water Safe?
Trader Joe’s sparkling water is a very safe alternative for people who prefer sparkling waters with no fat, no artificial sweeteners, no fake flavoring, and no harmful chemicals like PFAS in its packaging.
The brand endorses the use of PFAS-free packaging for all its food, so you can rest assured that it’s human-friendly.
Which Sparkling Water Does Not Contain PFAS?
Alongside Trader Joe’s sparkling water, Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Water is another product that contains little to no amounts of PFAS in its packaging, making it safe to drink.
Final Thoughts
Ever since the FDA accordance on the ban of PFAS in packaging came out, Trader Joe’s has stepped up in support of the accordance, telling its vendors to stop producing packaging containing the chemical. Resultantly, the brand’s sparkling water has little to no PFAS in its packaging.
The store also has no take-out stalls, so that further reduces the amount of PFAS packaging present in Trader Joe’s produce.
This initiative works to preserve human life and the environment, and all the retail or grocery store chains need to strive for that exact goal, taking the example of Trader Joe’s.