Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the health impacts of 'forever chemicals' in British food and drink.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) aims to keep levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food as low as reasonably achievable.

The Committee on Toxicity (COT), an advisory body which provides independent scientific advice to the FSA, is currently undertaking an assessment of PFAS. This assessment will include an independent review of the available toxicological and epidemiological data, focusing on a number of biological and health effects. The COT’s assessment will also consider toxicokinetics (how the body absorbs, distributes, metabolises and excretes) of PFAS. Derivation of updated health-based guidance values where possible will also be considered.

The outcome of this assessment is expected to support human health risk assessment of PFAS by United Kingdom Government Departments and Agencies in the context of existing and legacy exposure through food, drinking water and the environment.