EFSA reports on PFAS monitoring

16 February 2011

Perfluoroalkylated substances (PFASs) are a large group of compounds that are widespread in the environment. Because they have been shown to have negative health effects, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has been analysing data on their presence in the environment and in food in order to assess whether measures are required to limit human exposure.

Across food groups, PFASs were mostly found in 'Fish offal' (68 %), 'Edible offal, game animals' (64%), 'Meat, game mammals' (22 %), 'Water molluscs' (20 %), 'Crustaceans' (17 %) and 'Fish meat' (9.7 %).

EFSA was unable to assess human exposure to PFASs realistically and will carry on collecting more data, in particular for food groups where the number of samples was limited but the frequency of contamination was high (crustaceans, water molluscs). A further exposure assessment will follow at the end of the 2010−2011 monitoring, and this might contain a more realistic assessment of the risk.

EFSA's results are available here: Results of the monitoring of perfluoroalkylated substances in food in the period 2000−2009.