U.S. and Danish researchers have published an article that discusses a study conducted on a subset of the Danish National Birth Cohort of some 100,000 children and their mothers to explore whether bloodstream levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), chemicals used in food packaging, may affect fertility. Chunyuan Fei, et al., “Maternal Levels of Perfluorinated Chemicals and Subfecundity,” Human Reproduction, January 28, 2009. Noting that these chemicals are also used in many other consumer products, “are persistent in the environment and have been detected in wildlife and humans around the world,” the researchers found that higher maternal PFOA and PFOS levels were associated with a longer time to pregnancy. They conclude that exposure to these chemicals “may explain some of the fertility differences seen among different populations in developed countries.”

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For decades, manufacturers, distributors and retailers at every link in the food chain have come to Shook, Hardy & Bacon to partner with a legal team that understands the issues they face in today's evolving food production industry. Shook attorneys work with some of the world's largest food, beverage and agribusiness companies to establish preventative measures, conduct internal audits, develop public relations strategies, and advance tort reform initiatives.

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