PFAS Testing for Food & Beverage

The persistence per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment and potential health risks have raised significant concerns, especially regarding food and beverage contamination. PFAS can enter food through multiple pathways, primarily due to their widespread use and persistence in the environment. These substances may accumulate in agricultural products when crops are grown in contaminated soil or irrigated with water containing PFAS, or when animals ingest contaminated feed or water, leading to bioaccumulation in meat, dairy, and eggs. Seafood, particularly fish and shellfish from polluted waters, is another common source. Additionally, PFAS can migrate into food from food contact materials such as grease-resistant packaging, non-stick cookware, and processing equipment. This combination of environmental exposure and direct migration from packaging makes PFAS contamination a significant concern in the food and beverage industry, making accurate and reliable PFAS testing essential for brands committed to consumer safety and regulatory compliance. At Alfa Chemistry, we offer comprehensive PFAS testing services tailored specifically for the food and beverage sector.

Current regulations on PFAS testing in food & beverage

In recent years, regulatory authorities have intensified efforts to monitor and control PFAS levels in food and beverage products, recognizing their potential health risks.

• In Europe, the European Commission issued Regulation (EU) 2023/915 in April 2023, establishing maximum levels for PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate), PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), PFNA (perfluorononanoic acid), and PFHxS (perfluorohexane sulfonic acid) in eggs, fishery products, bivalve mollusks, meat, and edible offal. The regulation also recommends monitoring PFAS in agricultural products, infant foods, fish oil, milk, and other food matrices listed in EU 2023/915. Additionally, the EURL POPs recently published a guidance document on the analysis of PFAS in food and feed, providing further technical direction for laboratories.
• In the United States, the FDA released an updated method in April 2024 for analyzing 30 PFAS compounds in a variety of foods. Moreover, certain states, such as Maine, have set specific regulatory levels (for example, 210 ppt PFOS in milk and 3.4 ppb PFOS in beef), and many states have enacted laws regulating PFAS in food contact materials.
• Many other countries, including Australia, Japan, and various Asian nations, are in the process of developing or have already implemented their own guidelines and monitoring programs for PFAS in food.

We provide PFAS testing services for a wide range of food and beverage products:

• Drinking Water: Bottled water, tap water, and processed water for food production.
• Dairy Products: Milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, chocolate milk, etc.
• Meat and Poultry: Beef, pork, lamb, poultry (chicken, turkey, duck) edible offal, etc.
• Seafood: Fish (e.g., salmon, catfish), crustaceans, bivalve mollusks (e.g., clams, oysters, mussels), etc.
• Eggs: Chicken and other poultry eggs.
• Fruits and Vegetables: Fresh produce, leafy greens (e.g., lettuce, spinach), berries (e.g., blueberries, strawberries), etc.
• Grains and Cereals: Rice, wheat, corn, oats, bread, and other grain-based products.
• Processed Foods: Infant foods, snacks, ready-to-eat meals, plant protein powders, etc.
• Oils and Fats: Fish oil, edible oils, etc.
• Beverages: Juices, soft drinks, coffee, alcoholic beverages, etc.
• Animal Feed: Feed for livestock, poultry, and aquaculture species.
• Food Packaging Materials

Our PFAS testing capabilities

Our comprehensive PFAS testing panel includes a wide range of relevant PFAS compounds, typically covering over 40 different PFAS analytes, including the most commonly regulated and persistent ones. This includes, but is not limited to:

Standards we test to

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