A recent study has uncovered a concerning presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the majority of beers tested in the United States, raising significant public health concerns. Researchers found that 95% of sampled beers contained traces of these invisible, persistent toxins known for their widespread environmental contamination.
PFAS, commonly used in products ranging from textiles to firefighting foams, have increasingly infiltrated water supplies worldwide. Given that water is a fundamental component in brewing, contaminated sources directly contribute to the presence of these chemicals in beer.
The investigative team analyzed 23 beers produced in various U.S. states, focusing on regions with documented water contamination. The study, published in Environmental Science & Technology, revealed that beers brewed in areas such as the Cape Fear River Basin in North Carolina—an industrial pollution hotspot—contained not only higher PFAS concentrations but also a broader spectrum of these substances, including PFOS and PFOA, both of which are under close regulatory scrutiny.
This contamination extends beyond U.S. borders. An April report by the Pesticide Action Network highlighted PFAS residues in several European wines, underscoring the global scale of the issue. Despite breweries implementing advanced filtration technologies, eliminating PFAS completely remains a challenge when municipal water supplies themselves are contaminated.
Jennifer Hoponick Redmon, lead author of the study, emphasized the need for improved water treatment policies: “I hope these findings will lead to better water treatment policies to reduce PFAS levels in wastewater moving forward.”
The findings underscore the urgency of addressing PFAS pollution in water systems to protect not only environmental health but also the safety of widely consumed beverages like beer.
You Might Be Interested In:
