Understanding the Ubiquitous Presence of PFAS

As a reminder from our previous discussion on PFAS, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as widely used chemicals in many consumer and industrial products. These synthetic chemicals resist oil, grease, heat, and water, making them quite challenging to break down. PFAS have been used to make cookware, stain resistance in clothes and carpets, and even to create firefighting foams. They are seen in almost every industry, including aerospace, automotive, construction, and electronics.

Some of the most well-known and widely used chemicals under the PFAS umbrella are PFOA and PFOS. Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) is an organic acid used primarily as an emulsifier in industrial applications or as a stabilizing agent to prevent separation or increase storage life. Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) is used on surface-active goods, such as cleaning products.

Because of the breadth of industries using PFAS, the risk of danger to the environment and human health remains high. And people, specifically in state and national governments, are starting to notice.

Per ConsumerNotice.org, since the turn of the century, at least 15 state attorneys general have filed lawsuits against manufacturers for PFAS contamination by releasing the toxic chemicals and failing to warn the public of the health risks. Hundreds of class-action lawsuits have also been filed against some of the largest companies in the US, resulting in more than $14 billion in settlements (ConsumerNotice.org).

So, how is the US government handling PFAS? 

Again, from our previous PFAS discussion, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released many regulations in the United States to increase awareness of PFAS chemicals, especially for PFOA in water. The National PFAS Testing Strategy will require PFAS manufacturers to provide toxicity data. Due to the number of PFAS chemicals, the EPA uses a phased approach. In June 2022, the Phase I list will include 24 analytes.

To continue building scientific knowledge about the effect of PFAS on potential dietary exposure from food, the FDA is conducting testing in areas where food is grown or produced in areas with known environmental contamination (FDA.org). The agency’s approach considers whether there is an established action level or tolerance, how much of the specific food people typically eat, the level of PFAS detected, and the scientific information on the toxicity. Since 2019, the FDA has been testing foods as part of a Total Diet Study (TDS). In the TDS, the FDA is attempting to use only a complete “market basket” consisting of 24 regional and two national collections to estimate nutrients and contaminants in the general food supply.

Because testing is still relatively new, the methodology is constantly evolving. AOAC International — an independent, non-profit association of analytical science professionals in government, industry, and academia worldwide — is at the forefront of food safety testing (AOAC.org - subscription necessary to access methods). As of 2023, AOAC is working with a Draft SMPR (Standard Method Performance Requirements) for PFAS analysis in produce, dairy products, beverages, eggs, seafood, meat products, and feed. This method is becoming the standard in the industry, and it describes the technique and instrumentation used and details the Limits of Quantification (LOQ) for each analyte of PFAS.

Using this AOAC Draft SMPR, Mérieux NutriSciences (MxNS) North America implemented PFAS testing in June 2023. We have validated the following matrices:

• Cereal products (whole wheat bread)
• Milk products (whole milk powder, liquid milk)
• Meat products (spam, fresh pork)
• Marine products (canned fish, fresh salmon)
• Fruits & Vegetables (fresh carrot, baby food)
• Non-Alcoholic beverages (juice, water). 

We are currently in the process of adding packaging to our scope.

Reach out today to learn more about our PFAS testing!