FDA strategy to reduce PFAS in US food
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The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working to understand and reduce PFAS, synthetic chemicals, in the US food supply.
For years, these “forever chemicals” were used in products like firefighting foams and food packaging due to their resistance to heat and water. However, their persistence in the environment led the FDA to shift its focus from simply detecting PFAS to determining how people are exposed and how to lessen risks.
Since 2019, the FDA has tested over 1,900 food samples and developed methods to detect 30 different PFAS compounds. This work revealed that seafood and foods from polluted areas are most likely to contain PFAS. The agency integrated PFAS monitoring into its Total Diet Study, finding that over 95% of fresh and processed foods tested showed no detectable PFAS.
The FDA also collaborated with manufacturers to eliminate PFAS from food packaging between 2020 and 2024, and provides assistance to states dealing with contamination on farms. They evaluate health risks by considering the concentration of PFAS, how often people eat the food, and the toxicity of the chemical. The FDA works with the Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Agriculture to address PFAS contamination across different stages, from industrial discharge to the food supply.
They plan to continue refining monitoring programs and improving testing as scientific understanding of PFAS evolves.
