Coffee, eggs and rice may contain high levels of ‘forever chemicals’ linked to cancer, scientists warn

COFFEE, eggs, rice and seafood may contain toxic chemicals linked to cancer, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that people who consumed more of the four typically had higher levels of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their plasma and breast milk.

PFAS are a class of synthetic chemicals widely used in industrial and consumer products—from detergents and food packaging to nonstick cookware and rugs.

They are often nicknamed “forever chemicals” as they do not break down naturally and may never leave the body once consumed.

Previous research has linked PFAS to cancer, birth defects, liver disease, high cholesterol, thyroid disease, fertility problems and other serious health problems.

The new study, published in Science of the Total Environmenttested samples from 3,000 pregnant women aged 18 to 45 from New Hampshire, USA.

Scientists at Dartmouth College’s Geisel School of Medicine found that those who ate more fish or seafood, eggs, coffee and white rice during pregnancy had higher concentrations of PFAS in their plasma and milk.

This was still the case after adjusting for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and reproductive factors, as well as the point at which samples were collected.

The presence of chemicals in rice is believed to result from contaminated soil or agricultural water.

It could also come from the pans used for cooking, researchers said.

In the case of eggs, the culprits could be PFAS-laden sewage sludge used in agriculture, feed fed to chickens, or the fact that many backyard animals are fed table scraps.

Water used for fermentation, contaminated soil, or the beans themselves could be to blame for PFAS in coffee, the authors suspect.

Previous studies suggest that coffee filters, paper cups and other food packaging also often contain these chemicals.

Widespread water pollution likely explains its presence in seafood, experts say.

Activists want to see a major reduction in the use of PFAS.

Lead author Megan Romano said The Guardian: “The results definitely point to the need for environmental management and keeping PFAS out of the environment and the food chain.

“Now we are in a situation where they are everywhere and they will stay here even if we do aggressive remediation.

“Our study is among the most comprehensive to date and one of the first to identify important dietary variables associated with plasma and milk PFAS.

“Our findings suggest that certain dietary factors and indices of diet quality during pregnancy may influence PFAS concentrations in both maternal plasma and human milk, which could inform specific interventions and dietary guidelines to reduce PFAS exposure in both women in labor.”

She added that diets rich in fruits, whole grains and dietary fiber were associated with lower levels of some PFAS.

Eating a varied diet so that no one protein source represents too large a proportion of intake is beneficial, Romano also said.

“This helps you not only reduce your exposure to PFAS, but also other contaminants that we can anticipate are in food,” she said.

Earlier this year, PFAS were discovered in half of the fruit and vegetables in UK supermarkets.

Strawberries were found to be the worst offenders, containing the highest levels of these PFAS, with 95 percent of samples analyzed being contaminated.

This was followed by 61 percent grape samples tested, 56 percent cherry samples, 42 percent spinach samples and 38 percent tomato samples.

A previous study discovered the chemicals in contact lenses.

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