Toxic 'Forever Chemicals' Found in Cereal Products Across Europe
A disturbing new study has revealed alarming levels of a toxic chemical known as "forever chemicals" in cereal products across Europe. The most contaminated food was found to be breakfast cereal, with average concentrations 100 times higher than in tap water.
The study, conducted by Pesticide Action Network Europe (PAN), analyzed 65 conventional cereal products purchased in 16 European countries and found that a staggering 81.5% of samples contained the chemical trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). TFA is produced when pesticides containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals break down into the soil, and its detection in food products has sparked fears about human health and environmental impact.
TFA is a known reproductive toxin, capable of harming human fertility, fetal development, thyroid function, liver health, and immune system. Campaigners are urging governments to set stricter safety limits for TFA and ban PFAS pesticides altogether, as they persist in the environment and can remain toxic for centuries.
Wheat products were found to be significantly more contaminated than other cereal-based products, with Irish breakfast cereal topping the list of most heavily contaminated, followed by Belgian wholemeal bread and German wholemeal bread. The chemical was also detected in a range of other foods, including pasta, croissants, cheese scones, gingerbread, and even baguettes.
Experts warn that exposure to TFA through food and drinking water is a widespread problem, with no one being completely safe from its effects. PAN Europe's head of science and policy, Angeliki Lysimachou, says: "We cannot expose children to reprotoxic chemicals. This demands immediate action."
The study's findings have significant implications for the UK, where PFAS pesticides are widely used in agriculture. With 27 known hazardous PFAS active ingredients in use in UK pesticides, campaigners fear that the same toxic chemicals may be present in food products across the country.
As governments struggle to address this growing health crisis, one thing is clear: urgent action is needed to protect public health and prevent further environmental contamination by these toxic "forever chemicals."
A disturbing new study has revealed alarming levels of a toxic chemical known as "forever chemicals" in cereal products across Europe. The most contaminated food was found to be breakfast cereal, with average concentrations 100 times higher than in tap water.
The study, conducted by Pesticide Action Network Europe (PAN), analyzed 65 conventional cereal products purchased in 16 European countries and found that a staggering 81.5% of samples contained the chemical trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). TFA is produced when pesticides containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals break down into the soil, and its detection in food products has sparked fears about human health and environmental impact.
TFA is a known reproductive toxin, capable of harming human fertility, fetal development, thyroid function, liver health, and immune system. Campaigners are urging governments to set stricter safety limits for TFA and ban PFAS pesticides altogether, as they persist in the environment and can remain toxic for centuries.
Wheat products were found to be significantly more contaminated than other cereal-based products, with Irish breakfast cereal topping the list of most heavily contaminated, followed by Belgian wholemeal bread and German wholemeal bread. The chemical was also detected in a range of other foods, including pasta, croissants, cheese scones, gingerbread, and even baguettes.
Experts warn that exposure to TFA through food and drinking water is a widespread problem, with no one being completely safe from its effects. PAN Europe's head of science and policy, Angeliki Lysimachou, says: "We cannot expose children to reprotoxic chemicals. This demands immediate action."
The study's findings have significant implications for the UK, where PFAS pesticides are widely used in agriculture. With 27 known hazardous PFAS active ingredients in use in UK pesticides, campaigners fear that the same toxic chemicals may be present in food products across the country.
As governments struggle to address this growing health crisis, one thing is clear: urgent action is needed to protect public health and prevent further environmental contamination by these toxic "forever chemicals."
i mean who doesn't love a free cocktail of toxins with their breakfast cereal? and whats wrong with a little reproductive toxin or thyroid function damage? its not like were gonna die from it or something 
besides, what's the big deal about PFAS chemicals? they're just pesticides right? we use them in our daily lives all the time, why should food be any different 
?! That's insane! I'm not surprised though, considering how much pesticides are used in farming. It's like, we need to get our act together and set some stricter safety limits for these chemicals ASAP. I mean, who wants to eat food that's basically a ticking time bomb for their health? 
Wheat products were the most contaminated, but pasta, croissants, cheese scones... all of it is still off-limits to me. As a parent, it's terrifying to think about our kids being exposed to these toxic chemicals. We need more research and stricter regulations, like, now! 
. Remember when we had cornflakes that were actually made from corn? Now it's like they're using whatever is cheapest and easiest to process, even if it means adding some toxic chemicals. 
What's wrong with governments? Can't they just make sure our food is safe for us to eat? I swear, back in my day we didn't have all these fancy chemicals in our food... everything was just so much simpler. 
. I think it's totally reasonable to demand stricter safety limits for TFA and a ban on PFAS pesticides altogether 
. We can't afford to wait around for governments to act, especially considering the long-term effects of exposure to TFA 
. As a parent, it's heartbreaking to think that our kids might be exposed to these toxic chemicals without even realizing it 
. The UK needs to take immediate action to address this growing health crisis and protect its citizens 
.
. We can't keep exposing our kids to these toxic chemicals and expect them to be okay with it 
. And can we please just go back to the good old days when our food was safe to eat without worrying about some super toxic chemical ruining our breakfast 
?
I'm so annoyed by this news! Like, can't we just have clean food for once?! 
. I'm all about using natural methods to clean our homes and bodies, like vinegar and baking soda 
I think we need some major changes in the way our food is produced and regulated. We can't keep putting human health at risk just to save a few bucks on pesticides. 
Something needs to be done ASAP, or else we'll have a whole generation of people with fertility issues, thyroid problems... it's not worth it! 
like what even is a normal amount of tfa? 100 times higher than tap water?! no thanks 
i'm sticking to oatmeal or somethin. and its not like the gov doesnt know about this stuff already... they just dont care enough to do something about it 
gotta keep an eye on ur food fam
. and btw, who's gonna regulate the crap they put in our food? governments are always busy with something else 
. i'm not saying it's okay that people made some chemicals that'll destroy human fertility, but let's be real, we're all getting old anyway 
. 100 times higher than tap water? lol like what's the worst that could happen? 
