REVEALED: Tea, pork chops and peanut butter

• Tea, charcuterie, sports drinks, nut butters, seed butters and snack chips were at a high level
• And restaurant pizza had higher PFAS levels than home-cooked pizza.
• Read more: More than 70 million Americans live with tap water containing PFAS

Tea, meat and peanuts are some of the common foods that cause PFAS ‘permanent chemicals’ to build up in the body, new research suggests.

Previous studies have tested for these toxic substances in food, but experts aren’t entirely sure how much of them get into our bodies and stay there. did not.

For the new paper, scientists followed more than 700 participants for more than four years, taking regular blood samples and studying exactly what they ate.

They described the results as “very interesting”.

Foods and drinks that are typically considered relatively healthy, such as green tea, pork chops, and bottled water, were all associated with high levels of PFAS.

Meanwhile, French fries, added sugar, and tap water did not increase the risk, contrary to other research findings.

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a type of man-made chemicals used to make products resistant to water, dirt, and heat.

They do not break down naturally and are associated with several permanent health problems, including several types of cancer, hormonal disorders, thyroid problems, birth defects, kidney disease, and liver damage, so they are called “eternal”. chemical substances.

The study investigated two groups with a total of over 700 participants.

For one group, researchers looked at what they ate and the levels of PFAS in their blood over a four-year period. They took blood samples first, then three years later, and then four years later.

A study of fast food also found that burritos, fajitas, tacos, fries, and pizza prepared at home had lower levels of PFAS, whereas people who ate restaurant food had higher levels of PFAS in their blood. .

Hayley Hampson, a PhD student at the University of Southern California and lead author of the study, told the Guardian: It definitely shows food packaging. ”

The study also found that butter can increase PFAS levels. Eating nuts was shown to lower levels of permanent chemicals in the blood, but nut butters showed higher levels.

The study found that “Given that nut butters and seed butters are packaged in oil-resistant containers, nut butters and seed butters have increased exposure to PFAS through the packaging material rather than through the nuts or seeds themselves. “There is a possibility.”

Elevated blood PFAS levels associated with drinking more bottled water may also imply contamination from packaging or contaminated water sources.

Domestic tap water, on the other hand, was associated with lower concentrations of PFAS levels.

This is in contrast to recent EPA data that revealed more than 70 million Americans live in homes with tap water contaminated with PFAS.

The researchers theorized that the high PFAS levels in tea come primarily from tea bags treated with permanent chemicals, but said more research is needed.

Eating a lot of processed meat was also found to increase blood levels of PFAS. Hampson said this is not surprising since the process allows for multiple points of entry for chemicals forever.

However, unprocessed pork fillets also showed a strong association with elevated blood levels of PFAS, suggesting that the pigs may be contaminated.

People who ate one more serving of hot dogs than others had 25.4 percent higher levels of PFNA in their blood.

PFNA, also known as perfluorononanoic acid, is a synthetic chemical used in the production of non-stick and stain-resistant coatings.

Additionally, each serving of processed meat consumed was associated with 9.8 percent higher PFOA levels.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is another man-made substance used to make products resistant to dirt, oil, dirt, and water.

To the researchers’ surprise, participants who consumed high levels of sugar, fruit drinks, and soda tended to have lower levels of PFAS in their blood.

They suggested that young people drink more soda and fruit drinks, which may be less contaminated with PFAS than tap or bottled water.

Fruits, cooked grains such as rice and oatmeal, and some vegetables including bread, pasta, and potatoes were also associated with lower PFAS concentrations. This may be because these foods are high in fiber, and fiber has the potential to lower PFA concentrations by increasing the rate at which the body processes PFAS.

The study concluded, “Our results highlight the need for public oversight of beverages, processed meats, and food packaging, in addition to other well-known sources of PFAS.”

It was published in the magazine environment international.