Here to stay: per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food and in the environment

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are industrially manufactured substances that do not occur naturally. Chemically, they are organic compounds in which the hydrogen atoms bound to carbon are completely (perfluorinated) or partially (polyfluorinated) replaced by fluorine atoms. This group of substances currently comprises at least 10,000 different compounds, 4,730 of which have a known chemical structure. An overview of this large group of substances is provided in a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) at External Link:https://one.oecd.org/document/ENV/JM/MONO(2018)7/en/pdf

The various PFAS differ in terms of the length of their carbon chains and the other structural elements (functional groups) present in the molecule, e.g. a carboxyl group in perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCA) or a sulfonate group in perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSA). To date, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) are the most thoroughly studied compounds. These two compounds (together with other related compounds) belong to the “C8 fluorochemicals”.

There are also PFAS with longer or shorter carbon chains. In the case of PFCA, a compound with a shorter carbon chain than PFOA is referred to as a “short-chain” compound. In the case of PFSA, a compound is only referred to as “short-chain” if its carbon chain is more than two perfluorinated carbon atoms shorter than that of PFOS. Once absorbed into the mammalian organism (including humans), short-chain PFAS are excreted more quickly than those with longer carbon chains. This was shown by a pilot study published by the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment in 2024 External Link:https://www.bfr.bund.de/en/notification/pfas-not-all-forever-chemicals-are-persisting-in-the-body-1/

Polymeric compounds are another group of PFAS. These are very long molecular chains produced by polymerisation from short PFAS. Typical examples include polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), perfluoropolyether or side-chain fluorinated polyacrylates. Polymeric PFAS differ greatly from non-polymeric PFAS in their physicochemical and toxicological properties. However, some can release non-polymeric PFAS again under certain conditions.

Since the recognition of the problematic properties of PFOA and PFOS, other compounds have been used as alternatives, including PFAS with shorter perfluorinated carbon chains, such as perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA). In addition, numerous  “precursor substances” are in use, for example 6:2 fluorotelomer alcohol, which can be converted in the environment and in organisms into PFAS that are difficult to degrade, such as PFHxA. 

Precursor substances and polymeric compounds can therefore contribute to exposure to poorly degradable PFAS, such as PFCA and PFSA.

In addition to the term “PFAS” for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, the abbreviations “PFT” for perfluorinated tensides and “PFC” for per- and polyfluorinated chemicals are also frequently used. Although these compounds belong to the PFAS group, they do not comprise its entirety.

PFAS have been manufactured since the mid-20th century. They are extremely stable and, due to their special properties, are widely used in numerous applications. The following list provides an overview of various areas of application, though it is not exhaustive: 

PFAS are used in the manufacture of water-, grease- and dirt-repellent finishes for various consumer products such as fast-food packaging, baking paper, textiles (e.g. outdoor clothing, carpets) and cookware (e.g. non-stick pans). Various PFAS are also used in cosmetics, ski waxes, impregnating agents, paints, fire-fighting foams, cleaning agents and plant protection products, medical devices, electronics, engines and vehicles, mines and conveyor systems, power stations and other energy generation and transport facilities, in the construction industry, and in heat pumps and cooling systems. In addition, these compounds may occur as contaminants or unintended by-products in consumer products.

Consumers cannot always tell whether products contain PFAS.

Due to the strong chemical bond between carbon and fluorine atoms, PFAS are chemically and physically very stable. This means that natural degradation mechanisms such as sunlight, microorganisms and other processes do not break them down easily. As a result, PFAS are very persistent in the environment once they have been released. Some PFAS are transported to remote areas via the atmosphere. PFAS can be detected worldwide in water, soil, plants and animals and can therefore also enter the food chain. In particular, PFAS are frequently detected in food of animal origin. Possible entry routes via animal feed, drinking water and other sources are currently the focus of investigations. The German Federal Environment Agency (UBAshort forGerman Environment Agency) is investigating and assessing the routes via which PFAS enter into the environment. Further information can be found on the UBAshort forGerman Environment Agency website at External Link:https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/chemikalien/chemikalien-reach/stoffe-ihre-eigenschaften/stoffgruppen/pfc-portal-start (in German).

Data on the presence of some PFAS in humans (in human blood plasma or serum and in breast milk) is available worldwide. The amount of PFAS present in the body (“internal exposure”) varies for each individual compound.

According to the opinion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority) from September 2020, seven compounds, PFOA, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), PFOS, perfluoroheptane sulfonic acid (PFHpS), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) represent around 97% of the most frequently studied PFAS in human blood in Europe to date. The highest concentrations in human blood plasma and serum in adults are found for PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS and PFOS. These four PFAS account for around 90% of the PFAS levels detectable in human blood.

The levels of PFAS in human blood and the relative proportions of individual PFAS can vary greatly from person to person. Influencing factors include the region in which a person lives, as well as gender and dietary habits. Available data indicates that higher levels of various PFAS are present in the environment in certain regions of Germany, resulting in higher human exposure.

There are no representative studies on PFAS levels in the blood plasma of the adult population in Germany. Measurements of PFOS and PFOA levels in recent studies indicate a trend towards decreasing levels in the blood. In studies of blood serum levels in 158 people from Munich in 2016, the median concentration was 2.1 micrograms (μg) per litre (95th percentile 6.4 μg per litre) for PFOS and 1.1 μg per litre (95th percentile 2.4 μg per litre) for PFOA.

According to current data, PFNA and PFHxS concentrations in the blood of the adult population in Germany and Europe are lower than the values for PFOA and PFOS and are in the median below 1 μg per litre.

The Fifth German Environmental Health Study (GerES V), which examined, among other things, PFAS concentrations in the blood plasma of 3- to 17-year-old children and adolescents in Germany, shows concentrations of 2.4 μg PFOS per litre, 1.3 μg PFOA per litre and 0.4 μg PFHxS per litre (median, study period 2014–2017). The median concentrations of the nine other PFAS investigated in this study, including PFNA, are below the analytical detection limits (see www.umweltbundesamt.de/en/topics/health/assessing-environmentally-related-health-risks/german-environmental-surveys/german-environmental-survey-2014-2017-geres-v).

Studies show that some PFAS are also detectable in breast milk samples. Depending on the study, the levels of PFOS and PFOA measured in breast milk are approximately 0.9 to 2 % and 1.8 to 9 % of the levels in the mother’s blood, respectively.

Many foreign substances that are absorbed from the environment can be altered (“metabolised”) by animal or human metabolism in such a way that they are less harmful to the organism and/or easier to excrete. Studies show that PFAS are either excreted unchanged or metabolised into other PFAS, such as perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA). These PFAA (including PFCA and PFSA) represent the “final stage” of PFAS degradation in the metabolism.

Short-chain PFAS are primarily excreted through urine. Excretion through urine is limited for long-chain PFAS. Therefore, the human body can only excrete long-chain PFAS, such as PFOS and PFOA, slowly. As a result, long-chain PFAS have long half-lives of several years in humans. The half-life is the period of time in which the content of a substance in the body is reduced by half through biochemical and physiological processes (metabolism and excretion). The slow excretion of long-chain PFAS can lead to accumulation in the human body if larger amounts are absorbed than excreted during the same period.

Animal experiments show that most mammalian species used as laboratory animals excrete PFAS much faster than humans.

Short-chain PFAS are excreted more quickly in humans and all other mammalian species studied than long-chain compounds. For example, the half-life of short-chain perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) in human blood is in the range of days, while that of long-chain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is in the range of years.

The levels of the four long-chain PFAS (PFOA, PFNA, PFOS and PFHxS) in blood serum and plasma were highest in Germany around 1990. Since then, the blood serum concentrations of these four compounds in the German population have declined substantially. Today, the values for PFOS are around 10 % and for PFOA, PFNA and PFHxS around 30% of the levels at that time. Further information can be found in the FAQs on PFAS from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) and under the link to the Federal Environmental Specimen Bank at External Link:https://www.bundesumweltministerium.de/faqs/per-und-polyfluorierte-chemikalien-pfas/ (in German).

It is not possible to make a general statement about the hazard potential of the entire PFAS group, as different PFAS (short-chain, long-chain, polymeric, etc.) have different toxicological properties or potencies. The risk of harmful effects posed by a substance depends on the amount to which humans are exposed and the duration of exposure (see the question “Are there health-based guidance values for assessing PFAS in food?” and the following questions).

Population-based studies provide evidence of links between levels of certain PFAS in blood serum and the occurrence of changes that may be relevant to health. For example, children with higher levels of PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS and PFOS in their blood serum were found to have lower concentrations of antibodies after routine vaccinations. In addition, higher levels of PFOS or PFOA were associated with higher cholesterol levels and lower birth weights. Higher exposure to PFOA was also associated with higher levels of a liver enzyme.

Animal studies have shown that many PFAS, including PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS and PFOS, damage the liver in some of the animal species studied when administered in higher doses. Some PFAS, such as PFOA and PFOS, also have developmental toxic effects in animal studies and can impair fat metabolism, thyroid hormone levels and the immune system.

Furthermore, there is evidence of a carcinogenic effect in laboratory animals for some PFAS. According to the available data, the carcinogenic effect is not based on a genotoxic mechanism of action. It is therefore assumed that sufficiently low exposure to these PFAS is not associated with an additional cancer risk. The derivation of a tolerable weekly intake based on the most sensitive toxicological endpoint is therefore considered justified.

Epidemiological studies have investigated whether exposure to PFOA and PFOS is associated with an increased risk of cancer in humans. According to EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority (2020), these studies do not allow a clear conclusion to be drawn as to whether there is an increased incidence of cancer in the population exposed to these substances. For other PFAS, there is currently little human data available on carcinogenicity.

In its opinion of September 2020, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority) derived a TWI value of 4.4 nanograms (ng) per kilogram (kgshort forkilogram) of body weight per week for the sum of four PFAS, namely PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS and PFOS. The TWI value represents the amount of a substance (per kilogram of body weight) that is not expected to cause any adverse health effects when consumed over a lifetime.

So far, no health-based guidance value has been derived for the other PFAS detected in food, as the currently available data is insufficient.

The TWI derivation for the sum of the four PFAS (PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS and PFOS) is based on the results of a study of one-year-old childrenExternal Link: https://www.bfr.bund.de/cm/343/neue-studie-zeigt-bei-hohen-pfoa-gehalten-im-blut-weisen-einjaehrige-kinder-geringere-gehalte-von-impfantikoerpern-auf.pdf (in German). In this and other studies, higher levels of the four PFAS in blood serum were associated with lower antibody concentrations after routine vaccinations (lower antibody titres). This indicates that the substances have an effect on the immune system. Effects on the immune system were also observed in animal studies.

Breastfed children have the highest exposure to PFAS via breast milk. Compliance with the TWI ensures that even children who are breastfed for a long time are not expected to suffer any health effects from PFAS. According to current data, other population groups are also protected from health effects caused by PFAS if the TWI is complied with.

This applies both to the possible occurrence of lower antibody titres after vaccinations and to other observed changes for which epidemiological studies have described associations with exposure to PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS or PFOS.

No health-based guidance values are available for the assessment of the occurrence of other PFAS in food.

After being ingested through food, drinking water or other sources, some PFAS can accumulate in the human body because they are excreted slowly. Because they leave the body so slowly, even short-term exposure to these substances can contribute to higher concentrations in the body in the long term. Whether exceeding the TWI leads to concentrations in the body that could cause health impairments depends on several factors: the extent of the exceedance, the amount actually absorbed into the body (internal dose), the duration of exposure, the ratio of intake to excretion, and the amount of the substances already present in the body.

In its opinion, EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority (2020) assumes that reduced antibody formation after vaccination is one of the first expected reactions of the body that could occur in children with higher PFAS levels in their blood serum.

Reduced antibody formation after vaccination in children with higher PFAS levels in their blood serum indicates that the substances have an effect on the immune system. The underlying mechanism of action has not yet been clarified.

This reduced formation of vaccine antibodies is generally considered undesirable, even if it does not necessarily lead to reduced vaccine protection due to the existing safety margins for vaccinations when the vaccination recommendations of the Standing Committee on Vaccination are followed. It is currently unclear whether the influence of PFAS on the immune system can also lead to a more frequent occurrence of infections.

Only limited toxicological data are currently available for these substances. No health-based guidance values, such as tolerable weekly intake (TWI) values, are currently available for assessing the health risks of short-chain PFAS in food.

Data from animal studies on short-chain PFAS, for example perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), which has a chain of six carbon atoms, indicates a similar toxicological effect. However, the toxic effects of short-chain compounds are only observed at substantially higher doses. Short-chain PFAS are excreted much more quickly than long-chain PFAS after ingestion.

The smallest compound in the group of per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAS) is the short-chain perfluorocarboxylic acid trifluoroacetic acid or trifluoroacetate (TFA). TFA is a long-lasting and highly mobile end product of the degradation of many PFAS, for example certain plant protection products, but can also be released into the environment via fluorinated refrigerants and propellants. The widespread presence of TFA in the environment is attracting increasing attention. In 2025, for example, the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment assessed the health risks of TFA in wine, although no information is available on the actual sources of TFA. Based on current knowledge, no adverse health effects are to be expected from the intake of TFA through the consumption of wine (https://www.bfr.bund.de/en/notification/trifluoroacetic-acid-tfa-in-wine/).

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority) evaluated TFA as a degradation product of the plant protection agent saflufenacil in 2014. An acceptable daily intake (ADIshort forAcceptable Daily Intake) of 0.05 milligrams (mgshort formilligram) per kilogram (kgshort forkilogram) of body weight per day was derived. The ADIshort forAcceptable Daily Intake was reused in the EU active substance review of flurtamone in 2017, among other things. During the review of the approval of the active substance flufenacet in 2024, the need to adjust the guideline values in line with the current state of science and technology was pointed out.

EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority is currently reviewing the health-based guidance values for TFA together with the European Member States and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHAshort forEuropean Chemicals Agency), which is responsible for classifying the chemical properties of TFA. The results of the review are currently in the public consultation phase (EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority mandate:External Link: https://open.efsa.europa.eu/questions/EFSA-Q-2024-00502).

PFAS are largely ingested through food and drinking water. Other sources include outdoor and indoor air, house dust and contact with consumer products containing PFAS chemicals.

Breastfed children can ingest PFAS through breast milk. The National Breastfeeding Commission has considered the possible risks of PFAS intake in breastfed children. Due to the proven benefits of breastfeeding, this commission sees no reason to deviate from the existing breastfeeding recommendation based on the current data. A blood test for PFAS in the mother to determine whether breastfeeding should be restricted is not recommended because, given the current level of exposure in Germany, the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the risks (External Link:https://www.mri.bund.de/fileadmin/MRI/Themen/Stillkommission/2021-01-28_Stellungnahme-NSK_PFAS.pdf) (in German).

Consumers ingest PFAS through various food groups. Primarily, these are drinking water, fish and seafood. Other animal products, especially offal, but also eggs, meat, milk and dairy products, as well as plant-based foods, may contain measurable levels of PFAS.

Offal has higher levels of PFAS than meat. The levels are particularly high in game offal, such as wild boar liver. In this context, please also refer to the relevant statements by the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (e.g. high PFAS intake through consumption of wild boar liver) atExternal Link: https://www.bfr.bund.de/statement/the-consumption-of-wild-boar-liver-contributes-to-a-high-intake-of-pfas/ andExternal Link: https://www.bfr.bund.de/statement/exposure-assessment-of-the-intake-of-pcdd-f-and-dioxin-like-pcbs-and-pfas-through-the-consumption-of-various-fish-species/ as well as the consumer tip from the BMUKN atExternal Link: https://www.bundesumweltministerium.de/themen/gesundheit/lebensmittelsicherheit/verbrauchertipps-gesundheit-und-lebensmittelsicherheit#c15516 (in German).

Data on PFAS levels in foodstuffs is collected for Germany as part of the food monitoring programme run by the German federal states (“Laender”). PFAS are detectable in both plant-based and animal-based foodstuffs. However, no PFAS were detected in most of the food samples tested by the state authorities. This may be because the sensitivity of the analytical methods used is high, but not always sufficient to detect very low levels of PFAS in food.

The consumption of food containing very small amounts of long-chain PFAS, which cannot be detected using current analytical methods, can nevertheless lead to measurable levels in blood plasma, for example, in the long term. This is because long-chain PFAS are poorly excreted and can therefore accumulate in the human body.

The available data shows that fish and other foods of animal origin play an important role in human exposure, but do not currently allow any conclusions to be drawn about which other foods contribute significantly to PFAS intake. Information on specific PFAS levels in food and drinking water in individual regions and on possible regional consumption recommendations is provided by the respective state authorities.

For instance, information on PFAS is available in Bavaria from the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety (LGL) atExternal Link: https://www.lgl.bayern.de/lebensmittel/chemie/kontaminanten/pfas/index.htm (in German), and for Baden-Württemberg from the Karlsruhe Regional Council at External Link:https://rpk.baden-wuerttemberg.de/abt5/referat-52-gewaesser-und-boden/stabsstelle-pfas/pfc-problematik-mittelbaden-mannheim#:~:text=PFAS&fromSearch=1 (in German).

and the Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES) atExternal Link: https://www.laves.niedersachsen.de/startseite/lebensmittel/ruckstande_verunreingungen/perfluorierte-alkylsubstanzen-pfas-187637.html (in German).

Offal from game animals can contain high levels of PFAS. In its consumer advice on game animal offal, the BMUKN recommends that it should only be consumed occasionally, i.e. every two to three weeks. Due to the high levels of PFAS, the consumption of wild boar liver is not recommended, regardless of the age of the animals hunted. Children and women of childbearing age, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, should not eat wild boar liver or products made from it, such as wild liver sausage or wild liver pâté: External Link:https://www.bundesumweltministerium.de/themen/gesundheit/lebensmittelsicherheit/verbrauchertipps-gesundheit-und-lebensmittelsicherheit#c15516 (in German).

In 2021, the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment conducted a health assessment of the occurrence of PFAS in food. The BfR’s estimate of the total intake of the four PFAS (PFOS, PFOA, PFNA and PFHxS) is on average (median) in the range of the TWI of 4.4 nanograms (ng) per kilogram (kgshort forkilogram) of body weight per week. This means that long-term exposure to these four PFAS is above the TWI for about half of the adult population. This intake estimate was based on data on PFAS levels in food in Germany from the food monitoring programme of the German federal states (“Laender”) from 2007 to 2020.

According to a 2020 calculation by EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority, the mean weekly total intake of PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS and PFOS in the adult population in Europe is 3 to 22 nanograms (ng) per kilogram (kgshort forkilogram) of body weight for the sum of these four PFAS. The intake relative to body weight can be significantly higher in infants, young children, children and adolescents. It is therefore above the TWI for both adults and children and adolescents.

The data basis for PFAS levels in food has been expanded in the current opinions of the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment and EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority compared to previous opinions. However, even in the current intake estimates, the levels in the majority of food samples were below the analytical detection limits. Among others, this is a reason why there are still considerable uncertainties regarding the actual intake in the current estimates of total exposure.

Specific optimisation of analytical methods and the use of sensitive measurement systems may further increase the sensitivity of PFAS analysis in the future. The establishment and further development of sensitive analytical methods for PFAS in food monitoring can help to lower the limits of quantification and thus also detect low levels of PFAS. This results in a more precise estimate of total intake.

Maximum levels for contaminants such as PFAS in food are generally set at the European level. Since 1 January 2023, legal maximum levels for PFOS, PFOA, PFNA and PFHxS, as well as the sum of these four PFAS, have been in force in the Member States of the European Union for certain foods of animal origin (eggs, fish products and shellfish, meat and offal). Since then, foods containing these PFAS in concentrations exceeding the specified maximum levels may no longer be placed on the market. As PFAS can be transferred from feed for farm animals to food of animal origin obtained from them, feed is also the focus of further investigations in addition to food (External Link:https://www.bfr.bund.de/cm/343/futtermittel-sind-ein-schluessel-zur-einhaltung-von-pfas-hoechstgehalten-in-tierischen-lebensmittelnpdf (in German)).

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) and their respective precursor compounds and salts are prohibited under the EU POP Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 on persistent organic pollutants). Under the REACH Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA), perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoDA), perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA), perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTeDA) and their precursor compounds are subject to comprehensive restrictions (External Link: https://www.reach-clp-biozid-helpdesk.de/DE/REACH/Verfahren/Beschraenkungsverfahren/Anhang-XVII-Beschraenkungen , entry 68). A restriction on the use of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) in many consumer products will come into force in October 2026 (https://www.reach-clp-biozid-helpdesk.de/DE/REACH/Verfahren/Beschraenkungsverfahren/Anhang-XVII-Beschraenkungen, entry 79). 

In order to specifically protect children from PFAS, the EU Member States, the European Parliament and the European Commission have agreed on a comprehensive ban on the use of PFAS in toys and toy components as part of the negotiations on the new Toy Safety Regulation. Following publication of the Regulation in the Official Journal of the EU, the new rules will enter into force after a transition period of four and a half years.

On 7 February 2023, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHAshort forEuropean Chemicals Agency) published a proposal to restrict the manufacture, use and placing on the market (including import) of the extensive group of PFAS. According to this proposal, with a few exceptions, the manufacture, use and placing on the market of all PFAS in the European Union should either be subject to certain conditions (restricted) or prohibited.

The restriction proposal was developed within the framework of the EU chemicals regulation REACH by regulatory experts from Germany (with the participation of the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment), the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), the German Federal Environment Agency (UBAshort forGerman Environment Agency) and the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) were involved in the drafting process. The aim of the proposed restriction is to drastically reduce the release of PFAS into the environment (see also the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment announcement of 7 February 2023: External Link:https://www.bfr.bund.de/cm/343/per-und-polyfluorierte-alkylsubstanzen-pfas-veroeffentlichung-des-vorschlags-zur-beschraenkung-nach-der-reach-verordnung-bei-der-europaeischen-chemikalienbehoerde.pdf (in German)). If the PFAS restriction proposal is adopted, it would be one of the most comprehensive restrictions on chemical substances since the REACH Regulation came into force in 2007.

For further information on the regulation of PFAS, please refer to the BMUKN FAQ document atExternal Link: https://www.bundesumweltministerium.de/faqs/per-und-polyfluorierte-chemikalien-pfas/ (in German).

PFAS are used in various forms in food contact materials. Examples include fluoropolymers in non-stick pans, films or kitchen items such as plates, cups or storage boxes. In addition, polymers with fluorinated side chains can be used in the manufacture of paper packaging that is intended to come into contact with hot liquid or fatty foods in particular. Examples include fast food packaging, bags for microwave popcorn, muffin cases and baking paper. The BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment has also compiled answers to frequently asked questions about non-stick coated cookware at www.bfr.bund.de/en/service/frequently-asked-questions/topic/selected-questions-and-answers-on-cookware-ovenware-and-frying-pans-with-a-non-stick-coating-made-of-ptfe/.

Since 4 July 2020, concentration limits have applied to PFOA, its salts and precursor compounds if they are present as unintentional trace contaminants in products such as food packaging. The limits are 25 micrograms (μg) per kilogram of product for PFOA and its salts and 1,000 μg per kilogram of product for precursor compounds. Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011 on plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food continues to list the ammonium salt of PFOA for the manufacture of reusable articles produced (sintered) at high temperatures. The release of relevant quantities of PFOA from such articles into food is not expected.

According to the POP Regulation (EU 2019/1021), PFOS may not be intentionally used in the manufacture of food contact materials. Low limits have been set for possible unintentional contamination.

In BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment Recommendation XXXVI “Paper and board for food contact”, the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment set guideline values for the use of certain PFAS, which, according to current knowledge, are unlikely to pose a health risk if complied with. No new PFAS have been included in the recommendations since 2018. Existing entries are continuously reviewed and, if necessary, adapted to new findings on risk assessment or changes in European regulations. This applies, for example, to substances from C6 chemistry. These are affected by the restriction on PFHxA. Corresponding entries in the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment recommendations will be deleted when the restriction comes into force.

Searches in ingredient and product databases, combined with selective analytical tests, have detected PFAS in isolated cosmetic products (see, for example, KEMI 2021). The BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment does not have any current representative studies on the PFAS content of cosmetic products currently available on the market.

The specifications provided under the questions on the legal regulation of PFAS also apply to cosmetic products. A recent pilot study by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHAshort forEuropean Chemicals Agency) found that more than 95 % of the cosmetic products assessed comply with the market in terms of regulated PFAS:External Link: https://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/17088/final_report_pilot_project_enforcement_of_restrictions_in_cosmetics_en.pdf/d63eeb83-284d-5fd5-6404-13d8933ecbc2?t=1730099205515

Polymers with fluorinated side chains, also known as fluorocarbon resins, are used to coat textiles to repel water, oil and dirt. This coating is firmly bonded to the material. In older products, such coatings may contain process-related residues of PFOA and its precursors. Due to the PFOA restriction, the industry now uses an alternative coating technology (C6 technology), which means that residues of PFHxA, for example, may be present. The use of PFHxA and PFHxA-related substances in clothing textiles and footwear for the general public is only permitted in the EU until 10 October 2026. However, there are also fluorochemical-free technologies for making textiles such as outdoor clothing water-repellent, although these do not repel oil and dirt. Furthermore, breathable membranes in outdoor textiles can be made of fluoropolymers (e.g. polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE). The restriction proposal for all PFAS submitted by the authorities of five European countries provides for a ban on the use of PFAS in textiles for consumers (see also the questions on the regulation of PFAS).

Coatings which contain PFAS are high-molecular polymers that are firmly bound to the fibres of the outer fabric of outdoor clothing. Based on current knowledge, absorption through the skin and associated health risks from wearing this clothing are therefore unlikely. In addition to fluorine-free variants for water-repellent clothing finishes, C6 technology (see above) has reduced the residual PFOA content to such an extent that only traces of it can be detected in the product. Residues of low-molecular PFAS, in particular PFCA, from the manufacturing process are not firmly bound to the textile fibre and can be released during use or washing of the clothing. Changes in the manufacturing process have led to a minimisation of these residues, so that only traces of them can be detected in the product.