We live in a poisoned world. From microplastics to fine particulate matter, from nitrogen oxides to heavy metals, virtually everything around us risks being contaminated. The unsettling legacy of nearly two centuries of what has been called "progress" has been certified by a new study published on Thursday 4 December by Pesticide Action Network Europe (Pan), a network of ecological non-governmental organisations. This time, the focus falls on the notorious Pfas, also known as forever chemicals, owing to their persistence in the environment.

No regulatory authority has yet conducted studies on the presence of Tfa in food products

The analysis, unprecedented in its scope, has revealed that a vast range of food products – from breakfast cereals to bread, as well as leavening agents, pasta and flours – show serious contamination due to the massive presence of trifluoroacetic acid, more commonly known by the acronym Tfa. That is to say, the most widespread of the Pfas.

PAN Europe @EuropePAN

𝕏

1/7 🚨🌾🧵
Everyday cereal products across Europe contain high levels of the forever chemical #TFA, our new PAN Europe study reveals. #TFA is an ultra-short #PFAS and a breakdown product of other PFAS, including PFAS #pesticides.
pan-europe.info/press-releases…

♥ 17💬 3 4 dic 2025 · Apri su X →

We are talking about a substance that the European Union is on the verge of classifying as toxic to reproduction, and which also poses significant hepatic risks. Perhaps most alarming of all is that both public authorities and oversight bodies remain unable to respond. Consider that no food safety authority has yet carried out analyses on the presence of Tfa in cereal-based products. Pan Europe's study is indeed the first of its kind – a testament to the commendable work carried out by environmental organisations around the world.

Tfa found in 81 per cent of samples analysed

The report examined 66 everyday products from sixteen European countries, which were analysed by an independent Austrian laboratory. The results revealed that Tfa is present in over 81 per cent of samples (54 out of 66), and at significant concentrations: an average of 78,900 nanograms per kilogram. That is one hundred times higher than the concentrations found in drinking water during another analysis conducted in 2024.

PAN Europe @EuropePAN

𝕏

2/7 🥐
We tested 66 cereal products from 16 EU countries, including breakfast cereals, pasta, bread, oatmeal, croissants, and biscuits. #TFA was found in 81.8% of samples, averaging 78.9 μg/kg with peaks up to 360 μg/kg.

💬 2 4 dic 2025 · Apri su X →

The worst results were recorded in breakfast cereals sold in Ireland (360,000 nanograms), followed by a type of bread marketed in Belgium (340,000), a German flour (210,000), a French baguette and croissant (200,000 and 130,000 respectively), a Dutch spiced bread (120,000) and a brand of Italian spaghetti (26,000).

Wheat far more contaminated by Pfas than other cereals

Overall, the data indicate that wheat-based products are significantly more contaminated than other cereals such as oats, rye, maize or rice. The average concentration for the former is 92,000 nanograms per kilogram, compared to 12,000 for the other raw food materials.

One question that readily arises is: are these concentrations considered dangerous by the relevant institutions? The answer, unfortunately, is absent. To date, the European Union has set no maximum limit for Tfa concentrations in food products. There is only a generic threshold of 10,000 nanograms per kilogram, regardless of "where" the substance is present. And even this makes it abundantly clear how far the foods analysed by Pesticide Action Network Europe exceed safe levels.

Moreover, none of this is surprising when one considers that Pfas-based pesticides account for 12 per cent of those authorised for sale in the European Union. It is no coincidence that Pan Europe is calling for their immediate ban.