(1)

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been widely used in industrial and consumer applications including stain-resistant coatings for fabrics and carpets, oil-resistant coatings for paper and board food contact materials, firefighting foams, mining and oil well surfactants, floor polishes and insecticide formulations. Their widespread use, together with their persistency in the environment has resulted in a widespread environmental contamination. Contamination of food with these substances is mainly the result of bioaccumulation in aquatic and terrestrial food chains, and of the use of food contact materials containing PFASs. Perfluoroctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and their salts are the PFASs which are found in food and in humans in the highest concentrations.

(2)

In 2020, at the request of the Commission, in its opinion on the risk to human health related to perfluoroalkyl substances (1), the European Food Safety Authority (the Authority) updated its risk assessment of PFOS and PFOA and extended it to perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), taking into account the most recent scientific information and the occurrence data gathered under Commission Recommendation 2010/161/EU (2). The Authority concluded that parts of the European population exceed the tolerable weekly intake. Eggs, fish and other seafood, meat and meat products appeared to be important contributors to the human exposure to PFASs. The Authority concluded that food of animal origin is an important contributor to the human exposure to PFASs. The Authority concluded that PFASs transfer from feed to animal derived food, with clear differences between species and the type of PFASs. Such PFASs transfer may also occur from soil ingested by foraging farm animals and from drinking water for animals.

(3)

In order to ensure a high level of human health protection, maximum levels were established for perfluoroalkyl substances in certain foods of animal origin in Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 (3).

(4)

The occurrence of PFASs in animal feed or in the soil on which animals forage, might cause non-compliances of food of animal origin with the maximum levels for food of animal origin.

(5)

Currently only limited data on the presence of PFASs in feed are available to allow to determine the carry-over rates from feed to food of animal origin and to allow a discussion on the possible need to establish maximum levels for PFASs in feed. Therefore, occurrence data should be gathered on PFASs in feed and also in soil in case the presence of PFASs in food of animal origin could be related to the presence of PFASs in soil. Also, the presence of PFASs in drinking water could result in the presence of PFASs in food of animal origin but there are sufficient monitoring data on the presence of PFASs in drinking water available.

(6)

In order to quantify concentrations of PFASs in the quantities in which they occur, sufficiently sensitive methods should be used. This should be encouraged by recommending target limits of quantification.

(7)

In order to ensure that the samples are representative of the sampled lot, Member States should follow the sampling procedure laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 152/2009 (4),