In a new report published in Environmental Science & Technology, Boston University School of Public Health scientists examine the connections between “forever chemicals” and consumer products. While PFAS exposure through drinking water continues to rise, links have now been made to seafood, eggs, and brown rice.
According to a June 10th article in SciTechDaily, “The study provides the first analysis of the effects of diet and drinking water simultaneously on PFAS concentrations in blood, and it fills a critical gap in research on this topic. Most US information on PFAS in food relies on earlier European studies that cannot be fully applied to the US population or lifestyle due to differences in time of sampling, diet, food production, and industries. To understand and mitigate the harmful effects of PFAS on individuals and the environment, the US needs current data on the possible contributing sources of exposure…
The [study] participants provided survey responses detailing demographic information and the frequency in which they consume red meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, eggs, potatoes, brown rice, takeout, and packaged foods that are heated at home…”
PFAS exposure has been linked to a wide range of health conditions and diseases, “including multiple cancers, liver damage, thyroid disease, decreased vaccine response, and developmental and reproductive complications.”
“‘Our findings further support the importance of upholding the federal drinking water standards promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,’ says study coauthor Dr. Wendy Heiger-Bernays, emeritus clinical professor of environmental health at BUSPH. ‘Efforts to ban or limit the use of PFAS, including emerging PFAS, are necessary to reduce their presence in the environment, including in food and water.’”
Read the full article.