The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a request for information on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in seafood.
The FDA is seeking scientific data and information from the seafood industry, academia, state, and federal agencies, as well as other interested entities, on PFAS concentrations in seafood, the surrounding environment, and processing water, as well as mitigation strategies for reducing exposure to PFAS in seafood. “This request is part of our continued work to increase our understanding of the potential for PFAS exposure from seafood and to reduce dietary exposure to PFAS that may pose a health concern,” according to a statement from the FDA. The FDA collects samples and tests for PFAS in the general food supply in several ways, including the FDA’s Total Diet Study (TDS), which has been in use since 2019.
Testing indicates that seafood may be at higher risk for environmental PFAS contamination than other foods. In 2021 and 2022, to expand on the results from the TDS samples and evaluate potential exposure to PFAS from other seafood types, the FDA collected additional seafood samples and conducted surveys targeting the most commonly consumed seafood in the United States. However, the data on PFAS in seafood are still limited for many other seafood types.
Addressing the potential effects of Americans’ PFAS exposure is a national priority and is coordinated across several federal agencies. Through these interagency collaborations, the FDA i.