PFAS in food: BfR confirms critical exposure to industrial chemicals
| Main Author: | German Federal Institute for Risk Assessement (BfR) |
|---|---|
| Format: | Report Journal |
| Bahasa: | eng |
| Terbitan: |
, 2021
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: |
https://zenodo.org/record/5508353 |
Daftar Isi:
- Note: the original source of this report is the BfR website – see Opinion No 020/2021 Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are industrial chemicals. Due to their water, grease and dirt repellent properties, they are widely used in industrial processes and are used in numerous consumer products such as paper, textiles, non-stick coated pans and cosmetics. PFAS are difficult to break down and can be found in the environment, in the food chain and in human blood. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reassessed the health risks posed by PFAS in food in September 2020. In this report, EFSA determined a tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 4.4 nanograms (ng) per kilogram (kg) of bodyweight per week. This TWI applies for the first time to the sum of four PFAS: Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS). It is based on epidemiological studies in which correlations between the PFAS concentrations in the blood and a reduced concentration of vaccine antibodies were observed in children. The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has examined the derivation of EF- SA's health-based guidance value and recommends using this TWI in future assessments. In the present opinion, the BfR assesses the health risk for various population groups in Ger- many based on the new TWI from EFSA and the concentration data from the federal states' food control. The results of the external exposure are supplemented by studies on internal exposure in three German cities on the PFAS concentration in the blood. The result: Just as EFSA, the BfR comes to the conclusion that the exposure of some population groups par- tially exceeds the TWI. The overall view of the results of the external and internal exposure assessments shows that parts of the population in Germany are exposed to PFOS, PFOA, PFNA and PFHxS to an extent that may be associated with a lower concentration of vaccine antibodies in the blood serum of infants during their first years of life, if they have been breastfed for a long time. This is also possible in children between 1 and 9 years of age with a high PFAS exposure through their diet. At present, the study data are not sufficiently conclusive to answer the question of whether, at a corresponding level of exposure, there can also be effects on the concentration of vac- cine antibodies in the blood serum in adults and adolescents. At the same time, the BfR emphasizes the uncertainties that still exist in the external expo- sure assessment. Since the concentrations in the majority of the samples from food control were below the detection and quantification limits, it is recommended to develop more sensi- tive methods for determining the concentration of PFAS. The BfR also sees a need for re- search into the question of whether high PFAS concentrations in the blood are actually asso- ciated with an increased risk of infection. Consumers can hardly influence their exposure to PFAS. The BfR recommends measures to further minimise the intake of PFAS with food. The compiled questions and answers on the subject of PFAS are currently being updated on the basis of the present opinion.
- DE; PDF; efsa-focal-point@bfr.bund.de