Persistent chemical contaminants in wine

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are a group of more than 10,000 synthetic chemicals that have been widely used worldwide since the 1940s.

PFAS, known as “forever chemicals”, are capable of lasting indefinitely, persisting in the environment and accumulating in our bodies.

Eternal chemical contaminants in wines

The study “Message from the Bottle – The Rapid Rise of TFA Contamination Across the EU” analyzes 49 European wines from 10 countries: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, and Spain. The wines analyzed were produced between 2021 and 2024 and were compared with wines produced before 1988.
The results of the study are alarming: the levels of TFA in the samples analyzed are almost 100 times higher than those detected in drinking water.

The study “Message from the Bottle – The Rapid Rise of TFA Contamination Across the EU” analyzes 49 European wines from 10 countries.

In wines produced before 1988, the study detected no traces of TFA. However, in more recent samples, average values of 122 micrograms per liter (µg/l) were recorded, reaching up to 320 µg/l in some wines.

The wines analyzed also contained traces of eight pesticides, two of which were PFAS.

The samples included organic wines, which were free of detectable pesticide residues but did contain TFA. This data indicates that TFA contamination is now widespread in all agricultural environments in general, including irrigation water, soil, and air.

In wines prior to 1988, the study detected no trace of TFA. However, in the most recent samples, average values of 122 micrograms per liter (µg/l) were recorded, reaching up to 320 µg/l in some wines.

Interestingly, the study gives a key date for the significant increase in TFA worldwide: 2010. This year coincides with a massive increase in PFAS pesticides and the replacement of CFC and HFC refrigerant gases because they are harmful to the ozone layer.

Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)

TFA has a shorter carbon chain than other PFAS, and although it was believed to be less toxic than other PFAS, recent studies have shown that it can cause serious malformations in skeletal and ocular development in fetuses. In other words, it is a substance with high reproductive toxicity and has been classified as such by the European Union.

TFA can come from various sources, including the decomposition of fluorinated gases used in industrial sectors such as refrigeration, pharmaceutical production, insulation materials, and the degradation of pesticides containing PFAS.

A study conducted by the German Environmental Agency (UBA) warns of groundwater contamination in rural areas. This study confirms that TFA is extremely persistent and tends to accumulate in soil, plants, and living organisms.

A problem beyond wine

The presence of PFAS in everyday products is now a reality, as demonstrated by a recent study by the University of Antwerp. The study confirmed the presence of PFAS in many samples of eco-friendly paper straws and showed that the lack of clear legislation on the composition of food packaging puts consumers at constant risk.

Everyday consumer products with eternal chemical contaminants

The PFAS are these substances are widely used in everyday consumer products:

• Food packaging.
• Non-stick cookware.
• Textiles and clothing.
• Firefighting foams.
• Paints and coatings.
• Personal care products.
• Electronics and automobiles.
• Pharmaceutical and medical industry.
• Pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides.

Most concerning PFAS

• PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid):
  A chemical compound used in the manufacture of nonstick cookware such as Teflon (PTFE).
• PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate):
  An artificial chemical used in a wide variety of products due to its ability to repel water, grease, and stains.
• PFNA (perfluorononanoic acid):
  Used in various industrial applications, coatings, and textiles.
• PFHxS (perfluorohexane sulfonic acid):
  Characterized by its high stability, it has been used in various industrial and consumer applications, including firefighting foams, water-repellent clothing, and food packaging.

Call to action

With all this in mind, the study concludes with an urgent call to action:

• Immediate ban on all PFAS pesticides.
• Immediate ban on fluorinated gases.
• Creation of a European program to monitor TFA in food and water.
• Strict application of the precautionary principle in the regulation of chemicals.