Wild Boar Has Five Times More Toxic PFAS Than Humans Allowed To Eat

The liver of wild boars are bioindicators for the presence, types and concentrations of PFAS β€œforever chemicals” in sites with limited industrial and human activities.

Β© by GrrlScientist for Forbes | LinkTr.ee

Wild boar. (Credit: Paul Henri Degrande / Public Domain.)

A new study has found that European wild boar, Sus scrofa, contains toxic PFAS (per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) at levels that are nearly five times greater than what is allowed under EU law in meat sold for human consumption. This EU regulation was introduced in 2023 and oversees concentrations of PFAS in vegetables, fish and meat, including game, with game offal having the highest levels allowed.

The popularity of wild boar meat and offal varies from region to region within the EU. Residents of Germany, Italy and France commonly eat it, but it’s also eaten in Spain and in Eastern European countries.

PFAS, commonly known as β€œforever chemicals” because they are nearly indestructible, are a group of more than 12,000 synthetic chemicals. PFAS are found almost everywhere β€” in our homes, our offices, our clothing and even in our food. These man-made chemicals are toxic at extremely low levels (i.e. parts per quadrillion), and they pose significant risks to human health, including cancer, fertility issues and liver damage.

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𝐆𝐫𝐫π₯π’πœπ’πžπ§π­π’π¬π­, scientist & journalist
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PhD evolutionary ecology/ornithology. Psittacophile. SciComm senior contributor at Forbes, former SciComm at Guardian. Also on Substack at 'Words About Birds'.