A new study has found alarmingly high levels of TFA, a PFAS, in a range of cereal products including bread, bakery products and pasta, alongside flour, grain and rye.

The study was conducted in Austria by the NGO Global 2000, in collaboration with PAN Europe and the Upper Austrian Chamber of Labour (Arbeiterkammer Oberösterreich). 48 products were tested, and both organic and non-organic brands were included in the study.

TFA is part of a group of over 10,000 chemicals known as PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances), also called ‘forever chemicals’ because they can take generations to break down in the environment. TFA is one of the smallest PFAS, causing it to be very mobile in the environment. The main source of TFA is as a breakdown product of other PFAS which are used as pesticides and F-gases (a type of fluorinated gas commonly used in cooling fluids in refrigeration and air conditioning).

All 48 products tested contained TFA, including the organic products. However, higher levels of TFA were found in non-organic products, which were on average 2-3 times more contaminated than their organic counterparts.

The authors of the report highlight that TFA has previously avoided scrutiny due to the PFAS industry portraying it as relatively harmless to human health and the environment. However, recent studies have raised serious concerns about potential toxicity to the liver and the reproductive system. The European Chemicals Agency (EHCA) has just launched a public consultation on classifying TFA as a persistent, mobile and reprotoxic chemical.

The study points to a significant change in TFA contamination since the last known study covering a similar scope of products, conducted in 2016. TFA levels appear to have increased by almost 3.5 times in non-organic cereals.

This echoes findings from a previous study on TFA in wine, which found that contamination levels are now 2-3 times higher than they were 9 years ago.

The authors of the new study call for the removal of all PFAS pesticides from the market, and the rapid implementation of the upcoming EU-wide PFAS group ban. They also ask for the establishment of clear science-based health guidelines and limits which can provide a higher level of safety for consumers.

CHEM Trust supports the universal PFAS restriction and the ban on PFAS pesticides, as well as the call for alternatives, many of which are either already available or in development.

Read more about TFA in our FAQ here and about the EU universal PFAS restriction here.

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