PFAS: It started with contamination in and around the 3M factory site in Zwijndrecht a few years ago. In late 2023, cases also surfaced around Stabroek resulting in restrictions being imposed on dairy farmers. In October 2024, it was the turn of Het Verdronken Land van Saeftinghe, yet another area in Flanders where PFAS turned up. Consequently, the FASFC has developed a new opinion requiring livestock farmers and control authorities to work closely together by setting limits in cattle blood. This aims to minimise PFAS contamination and protect public health.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of chemicals widely used in industrial and consumer products because of their water, grease and dirt-repellent properties such as food packaging and cookware. For example:
PFAS includes PFOS, PFOA, PFNA and PFHxS, among others, all of which are persistent (not or hardly degradable) in the environment, animals and humans.
PFAS occur in water, soil and air as a result of industrial emissions, the use of PFAS-containing products and wastewater discharge. Animals can ingest PFAS through their food, water and environmental factors, which can lead to accumulation in their tissues.
PFAS are persistent and bioaccumulative, meaning they accumulate in the environment and in organisms, including humans. Persistent means that PFAS are not or hardly degradable in the environment and in living organisms. This is because the chemical bonds between carbon and fluorine (C-F bonds) are extremely strong, preventing natural degradation processes such as sunlight, bacteria and chemical reactions from degrading them or degrading them very slowly. This makes PFAS so-called "forever chemicals": they remain present in nature and the body for years.
Exposure to PFAS is associated with several health problems, including disruptions to the immune system, hormone balance and possibly an increased risk of certain cancers.
Research by the Scientific Committee of the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) shows a clear correlation between PFAS levels in the blood of cattle and concentrations in their meat and offal.
In 2023, exceedances of the European maximum limits for PFOS were detected in Belgian cattle, leading to a blockade of the farms concerned.
The FASFC wants to help livestock farmers control PFAS contamination by setting a guide value for PFAS concentrations in cattle blood so that it can be estimated in advance whether the meat and organs meet EU standards.
The Scientific Committee's investigation focused on:
The analysis showed that a PFOS level in blood plasma of 2.5 µg/L could be an indicative guide value to predict meat and organ conformity. This value is based on international studies and national monitoring data.
It was further found that the concentration of PFOS in the liver is on average 21 times higher than in muscle tissue, and in the kidneys on average 8 times higher. This suggests that if the meat is non-compliant, the liver and kidneys are also likely to be non-compliant.
The Scientific Committee advises:
Source: Opinion01-2025_SciCom2024-10_PFASinbloed_vlees_enslachtafvalvan rundderen.pdf and Strict controls on meat from animals from the Verdronken Land van Saeftinghe after finding high PFAS levels | VILT vzw
