New research aimed at identifying foods higher in PFAS finds that people who eat more white rice, coffee, eggs and seafood generally have more of the toxic chemicals found in their plasma and breast milk.
The study examined samples from 3,000 pregnant mothers and is one of the first to show that coffee and white rice may have higher contamination rates than other foods. It also identified an association between red meat intake and levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFAS), one of the most common and dangerous PFAS compounds.
The findings highlight the ubiquity of these chemicals and the many ways they end up in the food supply, the authors said.
“The findings clearly point to the need for environmental stewardship and keeping PFAS out of the environment and the food chain,” said Megan Romano, a researcher at Dartmouth College and lead author. “Now we are faced with a situation where They are everywhere and will continue to exist even if we take aggressive remedial measures.”
PFAS are a class of about 16,000 compounds used to make products that are water-resistant, stain-resistant, and heat-resistant. They are called “forever chemicals” because they do not break down naturally and have been found to accumulate in the body. These chemicals have been linked to cancer, birth defects, liver disease, thyroid disease, plummeting sperm counts and a host of other serious health problems.
Although regulators have been working to control water pollution, food is thought to be the most common route of contamination. However, the FDA has been criticized for failing to protect the nation’s food supply. Among other controversies, it changed its testing methods to make it appear as if the foods it tested did not contain PFAS, when in fact it did contain levels that many advocates said were concerning.
PFAS can ultimately contaminate food in a variety of ways. In rice, researchers suspect it originates from contaminated soil or agricultural water. Nonstick cookware also often contains chemicals or may be present in the water used for cooking.
Researchers have found that eggs from backyard chickens have higher levels of PFAS, which Romano said may be because the chickens eat more table scraps. Sewage sludge containing PFAS, used as a cheap alternative to fertilizer, can also contaminate soil where chickens are raised and has been found to contaminate beef. These chemicals may also be present in bird feed.
Researchers suspect the coffee beans, brewing water or soil may have been contaminated. Previous research has also found that coffee filters are treated with PFAS, and paper cups or other food packaging often contain these chemicals.
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At the same time, because water contamination is so common, seafood is often found to be contaminated with PFAS.
Public health advocates say banning the use of these chemicals except for essential uses is the only way to begin to broadly address the problem. Romano said studies have found that diets rich in fruits, whole grains and higher in dietary fiber are associated with lower levels of certain PFAS, and that eating a varied diet so that no one protein source accounts for a disproportionately high proportion of intake is benefit.
“This not only helps you reduce your exposure to PFAS, but it also helps you reduce other contaminants that may be in your food,” Romano said.
