As of January 2023, EU regulations enforce maximum levels for certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in foods of animal origin. In the absence of maximum levels or guidance about PFAS levels in animal feed, which can affect the levels of PFAS in foods of animal origin, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) recently published limits for PFAS in animal feed that would prevent animal-derived foods from exceeding PFAS maximum levels.

EU Commission Regulation 2023/915 establishes maximum levels for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), as well as for the sum of the four PFAS. Discussions are currently underway with the European Commission to regulate maximum levels of PFAS in feed, but a timely setting of maximum levels for PFAS in feed is not expected by BfR.

To calculate maximum levels for PFAS in complete animal feed that would be protective of public health, BfR used toxicokinetics modeling based on the results of scientific studies on the transfer of PFAS from feed to food of animal origin. PFAS levels were modeled for complete feed for cattle, sheep, fattening pigs and laying hens.

According to BfR’s calculations, measured in micrograms per kilogram (μg/kg) of dry feed, levels of PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, and PFHxS should not exceed:

• Hen feed: 0.42 μg/kg PFOS, 0.25 μg/kg PFOA, 0.29 μg/kg PFNA, and 0.17 μg/kg PFHxS
• Cattle feed: 0.14 μg/kg PFOS and 1.0 μg/kg PFHxS
• Sheep feed: 0.21 μg/kg PFOS
• Fattening pigs feed: 0.07 μg/kg PFOS, 0.05 μg/kg PFOA, and 0.06 μg/kg PFHxS
• Dairy cow feed: 0.07 μg/kg PFOS, 6.5 μg/kg PFOA, and 3.7 μg/kg PFHxS.

Adhering to these PFAS limits in complete animal feed should prevent the production of products that exceed EU-regulated maximum levels, per BfR.