TFA 'forever chemical' discovered in common cereals throughout Europe

A recent investigation has revealed significant levels of the so-called forever chemical TFA in widely consumed cereal products across Europe, including breakfast cereals. The study, conducted by Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Europe, identified breakfast cereals as having the highest concentrations of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), with average levels measured at 107 times greater than those typically found in tap water.

PAN Europe reported that TFA, a byproduct of pesticides containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), was present in numerous everyday foods. PFAS are synthetic compounds, including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorononanoate (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoate (PFDA), known for their persistence in the environment and potential health risks.

The consumption of TFA has been linked to reproductive and developmental health issues in humans, as well as negative effects on the liver and thyroid. The PAN Europe study detected TFA in products such as pasta, confectionery, croissants, white and wholemeal bread, and flour. The research examined 66 conventional cereal products from 16 European countries, including Ireland, Germany, Hungary, France, Spain, and The Netherlands.

The highest TFA concentrations were found in Irish breakfast cereals, followed by Belgian wholemeal bread and German wheat flour. Overall, 54 of the 66 products tested contained TFA, accounting for 81.8% of the samples. Wheat-based foods were notably more contaminated than other cereal varieties.

In response to these findings, PAN Europe and partner organizations urged regulators to establish stricter safety limits for TFA and to ban all PFAS-based pesticides. Salom Roynel, policy officer at PAN Europe, emphasized that TFA exposure occurs through multiple channels, including food and drinking water, and called for an immediate ban on PFAS pesticides to prevent further contamination of the food supply. Angeliki Lysimachou, head of science and policy at PAN Europe, added that children and pregnant women should not be exposed to chemicals known to harm reproductive health.

Past studies have also highlighted PFAS contamination in food items such as rice, eggs, red meat, seafood, and coffee. Similarly, bisphenol A (BPA), another persistent chemical, has been found widely in Europe and linked to hormonal disruption and increased cancer risk. The EU has recently adopted a ban on BPA in food and drink packaging, effective January 2025, while other countries, including India, are updating food packaging regulations to address BPA and PFAS contamination.

Author: Noah Whitman