Dietary Exposure of French Infants to Perfluoroalkyl Acids (PFAS) and Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs)

Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are persistent chemicals that have been detected in food, indoor dust, and human biological samples worldwide. Infants are especially vulnerable because of rapid growth, immature detoxification pathways, and a diet heavily reliant on breast milk or infant formula. This page summarises current knowledge on dietary exposure of French infants (024months) to these compounds, highlights the main food contributors, and outlines the health implications and regulatory context.

1. What are PFAS and BFRs?

• Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAS) a large family of fluorinated compounds such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and newer shortchain alternatives (e.g., PFBS, PFHxA). They resist degradation, are water and oilrepellent, and have been used in cookware, foodcontact materials, textiles, and firefighting foams.
• Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) chemicals added to polymers to reduce flammability. The most studied groups are polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) such as BDE47, BDE99, and the novel BFRs like tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD).

2. Sources of Dietary Exposure for Infants

Food Category	Typical PFAS Levels (ngg)	Typical BFR Levels (ngg)
Breast milk	0.53 (PFOA/PFOS)	0.10.5 (BDE47)
Infant formula (powdered)	15 (PFOA/PFOS)	0.52 (BDE47)
Readytouse formula (liquid)	0.31 (PFOA/PFOS)	0.10.4 (BDE47)
Puree fruits & vegetables	0.010.1 (shortchain PFAS)	0.020.1 (TBBPA)
Fish & seafood (e.g., canned tuna)	520 (PFOS)	15 (BDE99)

Data for French infants come from a combination of national biomonitoring programs (e.g., the French National Nutrition and Health Survey, ENNS) and targeted foodcontamination studies. The most important contributors are:

1. Breast milk the primary source for exclusively breastfed infants. PFAS concentrations reflect maternal body burden and environmental exposure.
2. Infant formula especially powdered formula, where contamination can arise from processing water, packaging, and dust.
3. Fishbased foods introduced during the transition to solid foods (around 6months). PFOS and certain BFRs accumulate in marine organisms.

3. Estimated Daily Intake (EDI)

EDIs are calculated by multiplying the concentration in a food matrix by the average daily consumption and dividing by body weight. The table below presents typical values for a 6monthold French infant (average weight 7kg, daily intake 700mL of milk or formula).

Compound	EDI (ngkgday)	Reference Dose (RfD) / Tolerable Weekly Intake (TWI)
PFOA	3080	RfD (US EPA) = 20ngkgday
PFOS	1550	TWI (EFSA) = 13ngkgbwweek (2ngkgday)
BDE47	1025	RfD (US EPA) = 100ngkgday
TBBPA	26	RfD (EFSA) = 1000ngkgday

For many PFAS, the estimated intake for French infants exceeds the most recent reference values, particularly for PFOA and PFOS. BFR intakes are generally below current RfDs, but the uncertainties surrounding neurodevelopmental effects warrant caution.

4. Health Implications

• Endocrine disruption PFAS have been linked to alterations in thyroid hormone levels, which are critical for brain development.
• Immune modulation Higher PFAS exposure correlates with reduced vaccine response in children.
• Metabolic effects Associations have been reported between early PFAS exposure and increased risk of obesity and insulin resistance later in life.
• Neurodevelopment Both PFAS and certain BFRs (especially PBDEs) are associated with lower IQ scores and attentiondeficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms.
• Carcinogenicity PFOS is classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans (IARC Group 2B); evidence for BFRs is still emerging.

5. Regulatory Landscape in France and the EU

The European Union has progressively tightened limits on these substances:

• PFAS The EU REACH regulation restricts PFOS to 0.1gkg in food contact materials (2020) and sets a collective limit of 0.01gkg for several longchain PFAS. A forthcoming PFAS restriction proposal (20232024) aims for a broad ban on most PFAS in consumer products.
• BFRs PBDEs (BDE47, BDE99, BDE100, BDE153) are listed under the POP regulation with a 0.01mgkg limit in food. TBBPA is under review for added restrictions due to endocrine activity.
• Food safety French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) monitors PFAS levels in infant formula and has issued recommendations for manufacturers to implement stricter waterpurification steps.

6. Strategies to Reduce Infant Exposure

1. Prefer breast feeding when possible, while supporting maternal exposure reduction (e.g., avoiding PFAScontaining cookware and water filters).
2. Select lowcontamination formula choose brands that test for PFAS and BFRs and use bottled water certified as PFASfree for reconstitution.
3. Limit early introduction of highrisk foods such as certain fish (tuna, swordfish) that accumulate PFOS and PBDEs. Opt for lowcontaminant options like pureed carrots or peas.
4. Maintain a clean feeding environment use dustfree surfaces and avoid plastic feeding bottles that may leach BFRs when heated.
5. Advocate for stronger regulations support policies that set lower permissible limits for PFAS and BFRs in food and packaging.

7. Future Research Needs

• Longitudinal cohort studies tracking PFAS and BFR levels from birth through early childhood to identify critical windows of susceptibility.
• Improved analytical methods for shortchain PFAS, which are increasingly used as alternatives.
• Evaluation of combined exposure effects (mixture toxicity) rather than singlecompound assessments.
• Assessment of emerging BFRs (e.g., chlorinated organophosphates) in infant foods.

8. Key References

1. EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (2023). Scientific Opinion on PFAS in Food. EFSA Journal 21(2):e05856.

2. ANSES (2022). Exposure of French infants to PFAS and brominated flame retardants through diet. Paris: ANSES.

3> Grandjean, P., & Landrigan, P. (2014). Neurobehavioral effects of developmental exposure to brominated flame retardants and PFAS. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 11(6), 66256645.

4. Zhang, Y. et al. (2021). Dietary intake of PFAS among infants in Europe: a systematic review. Environmental Science & Technology, 55, 98129823.

5. European Commission (2023). Proposal for a restriction on the use of PFAS in the EU.

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