FDA clears almost all food of detectable levels of PFAS in latest sampling test

01 Jul 2021 --- The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not find toxic levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the latest batch – or any batch – of food sampling in the US food supply. The agency further advises consumers against avoiding certain foods over PFAS concerns.

“Since we began testing foods from the general food supply for PFAS in 2019, only four samples out of the nearly 300 tested have had detectable levels of PFAS, and none have been determined to be at levels of concern for human health,” says acting FDA commissioner Janet Woodcock, MD. 

Positive results
PFAS are human-made chemicals, which the FDA authorizes for limited use in food packaging and processing equipment. While science surrounding the health effects of PFAS bioaccumulation is developing, evidence suggests they may cause serious health conditions.

The FDA is conducting a targeted survey of the most commonly consumed seafood in the US for PFAS.The analysis tested 94 food samples for the occurrence of PFAS collected from the Total Diet Study (TDS) and found one with detectable levels of PFAS. 

A sample of cod had two types – perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). The FDA determined that the PFAS levels found in the cod sample do not present a human health concern. 

“The US food supply is among the safest in the world, and the available scientific evidence does not support avoiding particular foods because of concerns regarding PFAS exposure,” adds Woodcock.

The agency tested the samples as part of its broader effort to better understand the occurrence of PFAS in foods. 

Moreover, it sought to determine if targeted sampling assignments are necessary to better understand occurrences in certain food categories. This information can help inform the overall agency’s approach to future surveillance efforts. 

Continual testing
The latest results are similar to results found in the FDA’s previous analyses, which showed most TDS samples do not have detectable levels of PFAS, with the exception of the cod sample in this testing and from previous testing, two tilapia and one ground turkey sample.

The foods tested in the FDA’s recent analysis represent a range of foods that are in the general food supply. They are chosen as representative of the average US diet, based on national food consumption survey data. The samples were not specifically collected from areas of known environmental PFAS contamination. 

Of the 300 food samples tested since 2019, none have contained dangerous levels of PFAS for human health.To better understand the occurrence of PFAS in seafood, the FDA is conducting a targeted survey of the most commonly consumed seafood in the US, including both cod and tilapia. The results from this survey will be used to determine if additional sampling with greater numbers of samples of seafood is needed.  

“The FDA’s work in this space is critically important to advance science and fill knowledge gaps about these chemicals and their occurrence in food. We’re committed to using all tools available to help ensure the food we consume is safe and doesn’t risk anyone’s health,” says Xavier Becerra, Health and Human Services secretary.

Protocol for safety
When there are detectable levels of a chemical contaminant in food, the FDA conducts a safety assessment using the best available current science to evaluate whether the levels present a possible human health concern. 

The FDA’s approach considers a number of factors, including whether there is an established action level or tolerance, how much of the specific food people typically eat, the level of the contaminant detected in that food and the toxicity of the specific contaminant. 

The agency monitors scientific literature and available toxicological reference values, which are compared to the estimated dietary exposure to determine the potential health concern. The FDA updates the toxicological reference values as warranted. 

In April, the FDA unveiled the action plan “Close to Zero” to reduce heavy metals and other toxins in baby food. 

By Missy Green