A new test conducted in Switzerland brings an increasingly widespread and difficult to contain form of environmental contamination back to the center of the debate: that of PFAS. The analyses, conducted on whole milk, highlighted the presence of these substances in all the samples examined, without exceptions, including those from organic production.
But the most significant data from the investigation does not so much concern the differences between individual products, but rather their uniformity: traces of PFAS are present regardless of the production method, a sign of pollution that does not originate in the food chain in the strict sense, but in the environment in which it develops.
This is a result which, on the one hand, does not surprise industry experts, who are increasingly aware of the widespread diffusion of these compounds; on the other hand, it strengthens attention on an issue that in recent years has gone from a technical issue to a problem of public, health and political interest.
PFAS, in fact, are now considered “ubiquitous” contaminants, capable of accumulating in soil, water and the food chain. And their presence in milk, a food consumed daily, represents a further sign of their systemic diffusion in the environment. A fact that should absolutely not be underestimated.
What are PFAS
For those who don’t know them yet, PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large family of chemical compounds used for decades for their resistance properties to fat, water and heat. They are found in numerous industrial and consumer products, the best-known example being probably non-stick pans.
Their main characteristic is persistence: they degrade very slowly and tend to accumulate in the environment, soil and water. From here they can enter the food chain.
But in addition to the environmental issue there is also a public health issue: some molecules such as PFOS and PFOA have been associated with possible negative effects on the body, including potential carcinogenic risks and damage to fetal development. For many other variants, studies are still underway, but the available evidence is already worrying enough.
The test results
In the Swiss laboratory test, traces of PFOS and trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) were detected in all 15 packages of whole milk analysed, purchased in large-scale retail trade.
Differences between samples exist but the central data, as already mentioned, is the general diffusion: the presence does not concern a single brand or production method, but reflects a now widespread environmental contamination.
And even organic milk has traces of these substances, a result consistent with the fact that PFAS do not directly depend on the farming method, but on the environment in which production takes place: soil, water and feed.
However, organic remains a valid choice for many aspects related to sustainability, agricultural management and the general quality of production. The topic of PFAS fits into a different level: that of widespread pollution, which requires broader and more structural intervention.
Currently, neither Switzerland nor the European Union have comprehensive, defined limits for PFAS in milk. Thresholds for some specific substances are being discussed at European level, but regulation is still under development. It should be underlined, however, that none of the samples analyzed in the test would have exceeded the limits proposed for some molecules, a sign that we are talking about low, but still detectable, concentrations.
@K-Tipp
And in Italy?
It is plausible that a similar situation could also concern Italy, at least in terms of widespread presence in the environment. As we all know, our country has already faced cases of PFAS contamination in water in some areas of the North, which have led to specific studies and monitoring.
As regards milk and food in general, however, systematic public data is still limited compared to other European countries. This makes a comprehensive assessment on a national scale difficult.
The topic is now recognized as a European and global priority: whether this translates into more widespread controls and more stringent regulations, even in Italy, is the real issue still open.
