PFAS testing for food, feed and environmental matrices
PFAS are persistent, widespread and increasingly regulated. As the UK's National Reference Laboratory for halogenated POPs in food, we have the validated methods and expertise to help you understand your exposure, meet emerging limits and protect your supply chain.
What are PFAS and why do they matter?
Poly and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of around 9,000 synthetic fluorinated compounds used across industries for their waterproofing, grease-proofing and fire-retardant properties.
Their strong carbon-fluorine bond makes them exceptionally stable, which is why they persist in the environment, accumulate through the food chain and are now detectable in human blood. Foods of animal origin, particularly fish and meat, typically carry the highest levels, but crops can also be affected through contaminated soil and water supplies.
In 2020, the European Food Safety Authority set a tolerable weekly intake for the sum of four priority PFAS (PFOS, PFOA, PFNA and PFHxS) driven by evidence linking PFAS exposure to reduced vaccine antibody response and raised cholesterol in children. With Maximum Levels already in EU legislation and for UK businesses exporting to the EU or supplying domestic markets due to increasing public awareness of this critical food safety issue, the pressure to demonstrate compliance is growing rapidly.
UK National Reference Laboratory
As the UK NRL for halogenated POPs in food, we hold validated methods for analysing priority PFAS in a wide range of food commodities, giving you results that carry regulatory weight.
Broad matrix coverage
We offer PFAS testing across fish and shellfish, meat, dairy, eggs, fruits and vegetables - with capacity to expand as the regulatory target list grows. We have the capability to offer bespoke PFAS analysis for specialised food commodities. We are in the process of increasing our analytical capability to include environmental matrices stay tuned for updates.
Gold-standard LC-MS/MS methodology
Our multi-PFAS method utilises LC-MS/MS with labelled internal standards, the recognised gold standard for PFAS in food and environmental samples.
Due diligence and surveillance support
Whether you need supplier screening, ongoing surveillance monitoring or due diligence testing for export, we can design a programme around your specific requirements.
Keeping pace with regulation
As the regulatory landscape evolves, we're continuously expanding our method coverage so your testing programme doesn't fall behind the science or the rules.
