Let's start with the bit nobody enjoys. There's a family of man-made chemicals called PFAS, and you almost certainly have some in your body right now. So does nearly everyone.
So what actually are they?
PFAS is short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which is a mouthful for thousands of chemicals made to repel water and grease. They've been used for decades in non-stick pans, waterproof jackets, takeaway wrappers and firefighting foam. They're nicknamed "forever chemicals" because they barely break down. Once they're out in the world, they stay in our air, water and soil.
How do they get into food?
Nobody adds them on purpose. They travel through the environment, and what grows or swims in it picks them up. They can also leach from some food packaging.
When the European Food Safety Authority looked at what Europeans actually eat, fish, fruit and eggs contributed most to our PFAS intake. That isn't a reason to stop eating them. It just shows how far these chemicals have spread.
What do they do to our bodies?
PFAS build up over time, and that's what matters. The research links them to a weaker immune response to vaccines, higher cholesterol, effects on the liver, lower birth weight and developmental problems before birth. Studies have also linked them to kidney and testicular cancer in adults. EFSA treats the immune effects as the most worrying.
EFSA set a safe weekly limit for four of the main PFAS. It also found that parts of the European population are already over that limit, and that toddlers and children take in about twice as much for their size. Since January 2023, the EU has also capped PFAS levels in eggs, fish, shellfish, meat and offal.
So where does organic come in?
Organic helps, but it isn't a way to truly stop PFAS entering your body.
No sewage sludge. Sludge from wastewater treatment plants can carry PFAS, and spreading it on fields as fertiliser has contaminated farmland. In the US state of Maine, 84 farms were found significantly contaminated, and some had to close. Certified organic farming doesn't allow sewage sludge.
Fewer synthetic pesticides. Researchers have found that some PFAS-laden pesticides contaminate soil and move into crops. Organic farming sharply restricts synthetic pesticides, so there are fewer ways in.
The honest bit. PFAS are also in rain and groundwater, so an organic farm in a contaminated area can still be affected. Think of organic as closing some doors, not all of them.
What can you actually do?
Look for the certification. Words like "natural" and "eco" on a label mean very little. Look for the certified green leaf organic logo.
Know where it comes from. Small producers you can trace are easier to ask questions of. Ask where it was grown and who made it.
Mix it up. A varied diet stops any one source dominating.
Check your kitchen. Replace scratched non-stick pans with stainless steel or cast iron, and go easy on grease-proof takeaway packaging.
Ask about your water. Drinking water is a source too. If you're concerned, ask your water supplier whether they test for PFAS.
The takeaway
You can't dodge PFAS completely, and worrying yourself sick won't help. But the choices you make at the shop and in the kitchen add up. At Euporium, we work with small European makers and choose certified organic, EU bio-approved products where we can. It's a small way to give your body, and the soil, a bit more of a break.