PORTLAND, Maine — What do pineapples and chocolate cake have in common? Turns out, something pretty scary -- PFAS chemicals.
The man-made chemicals have been used on military bases and manufacturing sites for years. They are found in a number of items like non-stick products, firefighting foam and water-repellent coatings.
Experts say those same chemicals are seeping into the surrounding water and soil and now, into our bodies -- and it's causing major health concerns.
"All of these PFAS chemicals, in particular the most studied ones, are incredibly detrimental to health at very low concentrations," one expert said. "These are chemicals that we don't want in our food, we don't want in our drinking water, and there is really this significant concern around this entire family of chemicals."
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So how are these chemicals entering our bodies? Experts found a link between the chemicals and foods produced near contaminated sites, but there's something else -- food's coming in grease-proof packaging.
Here in Maine there are a handful of former military bases that are being studied.
On a national level, experts are calling on the FDA and Trump administration for more research and restrictions.