A new study has found widespread contamination of European cereal products with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) — a toxic “forever chemical” formed when pesticides containing PFAS break down in soil. According to Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Europe, breakfast cereals showed the highest levels of TFA, with average concentrations 100 times greater than those found in tap water.
Researchers analysed 65 cereal-based products across 16 European countries, detecting TFA in more than 80% of samples, including bread, pasta, croissants, flour and sweets. Wheat-based foods were the most affected. The highest concentrations were recorded in Irish breakfast cereal, followed by Belgian and German wholemeal bread, and French baguettes.
PFAS chemicals have been used in manufacturing since the 1950s and are known as “forever chemicals” because they can persist in the environment for centuries. TFA, one of their breakdown products, is water-soluble and readily absorbed by plants, making its way into crops and food. It is classified as reprotoxic and has been linked to fertility problems, developmental issues, thyroid disruption and immune effects.
Campaigners are calling for stricter safety limits, active monitoring, and a full ban on PFAS-based pesticides. Governments currently do not track TFA levels in food. PAN Europe warned that all tested products exceeded the default maximum residue limit, highlighting urgent public health concerns, particularly for children.
Britain was not part of the survey, but with 27 PFAS pesticide ingredients still used in the UK — six considered highly hazardous — researchers say the findings should serve as a warning.
