PFAS on your strawberries, cucumber or head of lettuce: it's not an appetizing thought. We now know these ‘forever chemicals’ from non-stick pans, raincoats and polluted water. But that some pesticides are also PFAS and are therefore deliberately sprayed on crops was news to us. How do those substances get there, how concerning is it that there is PFAS on fruit and vegetables and can you still wash them off? We are finding out.
What are PFAS pesticides and why are they used in agriculture?
First, let's take a step back. PFAS is not a single substance, but a collective term for thousands of man-made substances. Many PFAS are highly resistant to water, grease, dirt and heat. Precisely for this reason we started using them in, for example, non-stick coatings, waterproof clothing and all kinds of coatings. Only: what makes these substances so useful also makes them problematic. PFAS hardly break down and spread through soil and water. And some types can build up in humans and animals. And the most worrying part of the whole story: exposure to certain PFAS is linked to effects on, amongst other things, the immune system, the liver, cholesterol and reproduction. Moreover, some PFAS can cause cancer. Not every PFAS is equally harmful and we are far from knowing everything about many substances. What we do know: once in the environment, you cannot simply get rid of them again. Hence the nickname ‘forever chemicals’. It is not without reason that the Netherlands is working with four other European countries on as broad a European ban on PFAS as possible.
Unless it is organic, otherwise you cannot tell with the naked eye whether there is PFAS on your fruit and vegetables. Thorough washing is also pointless, because the strength of PFAS substances is that they are water-repellent. Here you can read more about how bad it is if you eat unwashed fruit and vegetables.
Why are there PFAS on fruit and vegetables?
To clear up a misunderstanding right away: a farmer does not spray from a bottle with ‘PFAS’ written in large letters. Some approved pesticides contain PFAS as an active ingredient. It helps prevent a pesticide from breaking down too quickly so that it can work longer against fungi, insects or weeds. That is precisely where the problem lies, too. What is convenient during cultivation can remain present for a long time after use. As a result, residues may be on or in fruit and vegetables at harvest. Even after that, the substances do not simply disappear. For example, over time, some PFAS pesticides can transform into another persistent PFAS substance: TFA, short for trifluoroacetic acid. This substance easily moves through the soil with water and is hardly broken down any further. In this way, TFA can eventually end up in groundwater, rivers and other surface water.
Not every PFAS is equally harmful and a detected residue does not automatically mean that a product is directly unhealthy. The magnitude of the risk depends on the type of PFAS, the amount, and how often you are exposed to it. However, PFAS can enter our bodies via food and drinking water, and some types can accumulate there. The concern is therefore twofold: we continue to introduce substances into the environment that hardly disappear and we ourselves are continually exposed to them again.
Which types of fruit and vegetables have PFAS pesticides been found on?
Pesticide Action Network Netherlands, or PAN-NL for short, is an organisation dedicated to reducing the use of pesticides. The organisation analysed thousands of publicly available test results collected by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) between 2021 and 2023. At least one PFAS pesticide was detected in 21% of the vegetable samples examined and in 20% of the fruit samples. Strawberries topped the list: residues were found in 67% of the samples tested. These were followed by lettuce with 62%, grapes with 52%, cucumbers with 47% and tomatoes with 45%. An important caveat: the percentages indicate how often a residue was found, not how much was present on the produce or whether the legal limit was exceeded. On a positive note: no PFAS pesticides were found in the samples tested for asparagus, red cabbage, cauliflower, pointed cabbage, Brussels sprouts, fennel and pineapple.
How concerning are PFAS pesticides on fruit and vegetables?
A detected residue does not automatically mean that the product is unsafe. For every pesticide, there is a maximum amount that is allowed to remain on fruit and vegetables. This is calculated based on how much you can ingest without this posing a health risk according to current knowledge. According to the NVWA, exposure to pesticides via food remains within safe limits in practice. Washing remains sensible, however. This removes dirt, bacteria and potentially a (small) part of the pesticides on the outside as well. The catch is that some pesticides are absorbed into the plant during growth or are difficult to remove with water. And ‘difficult to get rid of’ happens to be a superpower are of PFAS. You therefore cannot simply wash those residues away under the tap.
No matter how hard we scrub, unfortunately we cannot wash away all the doubt. This is because safety standards are set per pesticide and per type of fruit or vegetable. In reality, we ingest various PFAS and other residues via our food and drinking water. We do not yet know the exact effect of that cocktail. Moreover, the PFAS problem does not stop at your plate: the substances can spread through soil and water for years. That is why PAN-NL is calling for a ban on PFAS in pesticides.
Why are PFAS pesticides still permitted?
As long as a pesticide has been approved, it may be used. That is now set to change. Because some PFAS pesticides can break down into TFA and thus end up in the groundwater, 46 authorised agents in the Netherlands are being reassessed. If they prove not to be safe enough after all, their use can be restricted or banned.
PFAS on fruit and vegetables: what can you do yourself?
Completely avoiding the intake of PFAS pesticides is difficult. Naturally, you cannot see what was used during cultivation. If you want to reduce the chance of residues, choose organic. In organic farming, no synthetic PFAS pesticides are used. Especially with strawberries, lettuce and grapes, on which residues are relatively often found, this is a good tip. Varying remains sensible too, so that you do not continuously ingest residues of the same agents. We certainly do not want to wash away the PFAS problem on fruit and vegetables – pun intended – but all experts agree that the health benefits of fruit and vegetables still far outweigh the potential risks of the residues found. So keep on enjoying them, choose organic more often and wash them well!
You might also find this interesting
- Also see: Is it better to peel fruit and vegetables because of pesticides?
- Also see: High or low pesticide use? These fruit and vegetables stand out!
- Also see: PFAS-free living: what to look out for?
Sources: PAN-NL, PAN-NL, RIVM, RIVM, ctgb.nl, NVWA, central government.nl, SCI, Nutrition Centre, ESFA. Photo credits: Angela de Vlaming (main image and washing strawberries), Michael Burrows, Pexels (doing the groceries).
