WASHINGTON D.C. — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rejected a legal petition in 2025 that sought to establish enforceable limits on PFAS chemicals in food. The agency stated there was "insufficient evidence to support [TEJTF's] request" but noted it plans to take action on setting standards for PFAS.

Instead of enforceable limits, the FDA announced plans to set non-binding "action levels" for these chemicals. These action levels would not necessitate the removal of contaminated food from store shelves. The Environmental Protection Agency has identified food as the primary source of PFAS exposure.

The Tucson Environmental Justice Task Force (TEJTF) originally filed a legal petition with the FDA in November 2023. That petition requested that the FDA check for up to 30 PFAS compounds in food items including produce, fish, eggs, milk, and bread. In 2025, the TEJTF scaled back its petition, asking the FDA to set advisory thresholds for PFOA and PFOS in seafood and milk.

PFAS are a class of at least 16,000 compounds, frequently used to make products water-, stain- and grease-resistant. Exposure to PFAS has been linked to health problems such as cancer, birth defects, decreased immunity, high cholesterol, and kidney disease. PFAS can enter food through various sources, including pesticides, food packaging, sewage sludge used as fertilizer, non-stick cookware, and polluted water utilized in processing or growing food.

Recent FDA testing revealed that 70% of seafood samples contained PFAS chemicals. Additionally, EPA testing of seafood found PFAS chemicals in all but one sample. Independent testing of 50 milk samples also detected PFAS in 12% of them. Some state agencies have already mandated the removal of contaminated food and milk from the market.

In 2019, the FDA altered its testing methodology. Initially, 182 food samples were found to be contaminated with PFAS, but after the change, this figure dropped to 78. Sandra Daussin, an attorney, described the FDA's decision as "disappointing." Daussin added, "If it's important enough to regulate in water then we need to regulate it in food – that's a no-brainer." She also stated, "Your body doesn't know how the PFAS got in there." The TEJTF plans to sue the FDA, seeking a court order for the agency to establish PFAS thresholds.