A recent study has flagged that some popular beers brewed in the United States contain high levels of “forever chemicals,” exceeding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) permissible limits. This research, carried out by a team from the American Chemical Society’s Environmental Science & Technology, delved into how these polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) find their way into our beloved pints. Jennifer Hoponick Redmon, who led the research, expressed her hope that these findings will push for better water treatment strategies to minimize PFAS presence in beers.
Interestingly, even though breweries utilize water filtration and treatment systems, these aren’t specifically designed to block PFAS from sneaking into the beer-making process. Redmon’s team adapted an EPA testing tool to measure PFAS levels in drinking water and applied it to 23 different beers. Their testing included beers from regions known for water contamination issues, as well as some widely consumed brands with unknown water sources.
The study uncovered that beers brewed in states like North Carolina, California, and Michigan had elevated PFAS levels. This pointed to a significant correlation between PFAS in local drinking water and the levels found in regionally crafted beers. Despite breweries having filtration systems, they appear ill-equipped to prevent PFAS from entering beer batches.
In the beers tested, 95% contained PFAS, particularly perfluorooctanesulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid, which are two “forever chemicals” that recently had EPA limits set for drinking water. On a brighter note, international beers from Holland and Mexico showed lower PFAS detectability. This suggests that the issue is more pronounced in certain U.S. regions.
The research team highlighted a clear link between the PFAS present in drinking water and those detected in beer. Their conclusion was that areas with higher PFAS levels in local water supply often lead to beers with increased PFAS concentrations. Essentially, drinking water serves as a primary route for these chemicals to make their way into beer.
Nick Butler, a reporter for Fox News Digital, covered this story. If you have any tips or insights, you can reach out to him directly at [email protected]. As a Breaking and Trending News Writer for Fox News Digital, Butler keeps a keen eye on such important developments.
