Alarming Pfas pollution in bread and pasta: urgent need for action!

Alarming Pfas pollution in bread and pasta: urgent need for action!

The environmental protection organization Global 2000 tested 48 grain products for PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances) in cooperation with the Upper Austria Chamber of Labor. These products come from eight federal states in Austria and the test results will be presented tomorrow, on June 3 at 9 a.m., at an online press conference via zoom. At the press conference, Dr. Helmut Burtscher damage, an environmental chemist from Global 2000, Univ.-Prof. Dr. Hans Peter Arp, a PFAS expert from the Technical University of Norway, and Maria Grünbacher, an organic farmer from Upper Austria.

The examination included both biologically and conventionally generated grain products, each 24 from both categories. Despite a better performance of the organic products, the overall load with PFAs shows alarming values. This underlines the urgent political need for action to protect public health and reduce the possible uses of these harmful chemicals in food. According to Global 2000, this is a clear indication that measures are necessary to minimize the exposure of the population to these pollutants.

Health risks of Pfas

The health risks of PFAS are well documented. The European Food Security Authority (EFSA) has carried out several risk reviews for substances such as PFOs and PfoA. In 2008, a tolerable daily recording quantity (TDI) for PFOs of 150 ng/kg body weight per day and for Pfoa of 1,500 ng/kg body weight per day was set. These values ​​are based on animal studies.

Only recently, in 2023, the International Agency for Cancer Research Pfoa rated Pfoa as carcinogenic (group 1) and PFOs as possibly carcinogenic (group 2b). In addition, the EU has issued a ban on PFOs and since 2020 for Pfoa and PfoA-free substances. The agency for toxic substances and disease registration (ATSDR) set minimal risk levels (MRL) for these and other PFAS substances to protect public health.

Current developments and need for action

The results of the investigation of Global 2000 indicate an urgent need for action. The Ministry of Climate Protection plans to take measures as part of a PFAS action plan to reduce the stress of PFAs in water and food. In addition to the protection of the environment, health aspects also played an essential role, as cholesterol levels that are favored by PFAS effects increase a risk of cardiovascular diseases.

The results of the tests are eagerly awaited at the press conference and show how important it is to continuously monitor food safety and ensure that products that get on the market are harmless for consumers. In view of the potential health risks, it is essential that politics and consumers react equally to the problem.

For more information on PFAS and their health effects, interested parties can find detailed analyzes on the Global 2000 here and the Ages read here