The European study puts a breakfast cereal purchased in Ireland at the top: 360 µg/kg of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), the maximum value detected among 66 products analysed. In second place is a Belgian wholemeal bread with 340 µg/kg, followed by a German wheat flour at 310 µg/kg and a French baguette with 210 µg/kg.
How widespread the contamination is
TFA was found to be present in 81.8% of samples collected in 16 Member States – including Italy – with an average concentration of 78.9 µg/kg. The average levels detected in cereals stand at values 107 times higher than the average concentration measured in drinking water, signaling the seriousness of food contamination.
Why the TFA is worrying
Trifluoroacetic acid arises from the degradation of many fluorinated compounds, including some PFAS and gases used in refrigeration. The EU classifies it as a reproductive toxicant. TFA has high environmental persistence and water solubility: it accumulates in water and soil, enters plants and travels through the food chain without degrading. Scientific research associates it with effects on reproduction, fetal development, thyroid, liver, immune system and sperm quality.
The role of wheat
Products mainly based on wheat recorded an average of 92.3 µg/kg of TFA, i.e. approximately 7.6 times more than non-wheat-based products. The authors of the research put forward the hypothesis that wheat absorbs TFA from the soil with particular effectiveness, a relevant element given the volumes of consumption in the European diet.
The Italian situation and comparison criteria
In Italy, a single sample of pasta analyzed showed 26 µg/kg of TFA, a lower value than the European peaks but still above the predefined limit adopted in the study (0.01 mg/kg, i.e. 10 µg/kg). Since the EU does not yet have specific limits for TFA in food, the researchers compared the results with this reference threshold: all 54 contaminated samples exceeded the level taken as a safety parameter.
Impact on exposure and political demands
The estimates indicate particularly high risks for children: the exclusive consumption of cereal products leads to an estimated daily exposure of 3.32 µg per kg of body weight in children between 3 and 9 years old, equal to 184.3% of the Acceptable Daily Intake proposed by PAN Europe. The organization calls for an immediate ban on PFAS pesticides, the establishment of a safe value for TFA by EFSA and the systematic monitoring of TFA in foods.
These are the words of Salomé Roynel, political director of PAN Europe:
All people are exposed to TFAs through multiple routes, including food and drinking water. Our findings highlight the urgent need to immediately ban PFAS pesticides to stop further contamination of the food chain
Below is the speech by Angeliki Lysimachou, responsible for science and policies of the organization:
Pesticides that emit TFA must be banned urgently. We cannot allow children and pregnant women to be exposed to chemicals that we know are harmful to reproductive health.
