New research suggests you're being exposed to thousands of chemicals, including hazardous substances, that can leach into the human body through food- and beverage-related material like plastic bottles and takeout containers, according to Business Insider.

It's not a surprise that our environment is full of contaminants, like microplastics, that can accumulate in our bodies.

But researchers in a recent study were taken aback by just how many chemicals in our everyday items can migrate into humans, and said it's "concerning" that we don't fully understand the risks.

The researchers, led by scientists from a Swiss nonprofit called the Food Packaging Forum Foundation, looked at data on more than 14,000 food contact chemicals — substances in containers or other materials that touch what we eat and drink.

The study, published September 17 in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, explained that 25% of the chemicals they were studying — about 3,601 substances — showed up inside the human body, in samples including skin, hair, blood, breast milk, and fat tissue.

That suggests manufacturing chemicals are migrating into our bodies from items we use to store, package, or cook our food. It's not just plastic either, since even paper or cardboard can contain substances like ink that can be problematic when it comes into contact with food.

Scientists are digging for clues to understand the impact of these chemicals on long-term health.

Some of these chemicals are known to be dangerous, including carcinogens (cancer-causing) substances and toxins linked to hormone and reproductive problems.

One such category is called PFAs (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), known as "forever chemicals" because they linger and accumulate in our bodies and in the water and soil. PFAs exposure is linked to some cancers, liver damage, and more, as well as possible developmental defects in children.

Other hazardous chemicals the study found in food and our bodies include BPA (a toxic ingredient in packaging linked to hormone problems) and heavy metals that can cause harm to our DNA.

And there's a lot we don't know about many of the other chemicals found in human samples, including whether they might be harmful or what, if any, amount is safe.

The actual number of chemicals we're exposed to through food and drinks could also be much higher than the 3,601 estimated in the study, according to the researchers.