Study finds popular beers contain cancer-linked ‘forever chemicals’

Researchers at RTI International in North Carolina detected PFAS — or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — in 95% of the 23 beers they tested.

“Nearly every American has PFAS in their blood,” the researchers said. “We set out to understand whether popular craft beers as well as national and international beers may also be a contributor to total PFAS exposure for beer drinkers.”

PFAS are synthetic compounds used in various industrial products and are known for not breaking down in the environment. They have been linked to infertility, birth defects, high cholesterol, and several cancers.

In the study, beers were tested from eight U.S. states, as well as Mexico and the Netherlands. While specific brands were not named, the team selected mostly lagers and ales from regions with documented water contamination.

The study found two PFAS types — PFOS and PFOA — in levels exceeding safety limits recently set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for drinking water.

Researchers believe PFAS likely enter beer through local water supplies used in brewing. Although breweries treat their water, standard filtration systems are not designed to remove PFAS. Contamination may also come from ingredients, packaging, and cleaning processes.

Smaller breweries, especially those in North Carolina and Missouri, showed higher PFAS levels. Beers from Chatham and Mecklenburg Counties in North Carolina had the greatest number of PFAS compounds.

The results, published in Environmental Science & Technology, call for improved water treatment and more testing. “Water utilities can enhance water treatment processes to remove PFAS contaminants before distribution, and breweries can test or filter their brewing water,” the team added.

Earlier, it was reported that a groundbreaking blood test using artificial intelligence to detect cancer from just a few drops of blood is entering clinical trials across the UK’s National Health Service (NHS).