FY2025 PFAS Survey and Research on Domestic Farm, Livestock, and Fishery Foods
Overview
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries published results from a survey of PFAS levels in 37 categories of domestically produced farm, livestock, and fishery products, along with research on the transfer and accumulation of PFOS and PFOA from agricultural soil to vegetables. PFOS and PFOA intake under an average diet was substantially below the tolerable daily intake (TDI). Even when vegetables were grown in agricultural soil containing relatively high concentrations of PFOS or PFOA, transfer and accumulation in edible portions was limited. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will continue expanding surveys to previously unexamined categories and conducting related research.
Key points
- PFOS and PFOA intake from 37 categories of domestically produced farm, livestock, and fishery products was substantially below the TDI.
- Transfer and accumulation of PFOS and PFOA from agricultural soil into the edible portions of vegetables was limited.
- The survey covered 29 categories of distributed products and a total of 37 categories surveyed in FY2024 and FY2025.
- The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will continue surveys and research in FY2026.
Overview
On September 11, 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries published survey results on levels of PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, and PFNA in domestically produced farm, livestock, and fishery products, as well as the transfer and accumulation of PFOS and PFOA from the agricultural environment to vegetables.
For the 37 categories surveyed in FY2024 and FY2025, PFOS and PFOA intake from an average diet was sufficiently low compared with the respective TDI values. Even under the assumption that only the category with the highest concentration was consumed continuously, intake remained below the TDI.
Even in cultivation tests using soil containing relatively high concentrations of PFOS or PFOA, concentrations in the edible portions of potatoes, cabbage, daikon radishes, carrots, and spinach were at levels comparable to those found in surveys of domestically produced agricultural products commonly distributed on the market.
Impact
PFOS and PFOA intake from domestically produced farm, livestock, and fishery products under a usual diet was determined to be sufficiently low compared with the TDI indicated by the Food Safety Commission.
Consumers were advised that it is important to eat a balanced variety of products harvested or landed in various production areas across Japan.
Details
The survey of distributed products covered a total of 29 categories—13 agricultural, 5 livestock, and 11 fishery categories—and tested for four types of PFAS. For all agricultural samples and many livestock samples, the four types were either below the limit of quantification or detected at low concentrations. In fishery products, at least one PFAS was detected, and concentrations varied widely by category.
Agricultural products from five regions where PFOS and PFOA were detected in river water or groundwater above the combined guideline value of 50 ng/L or less were also surveyed. In all samples, including carrots and spinach, the four types of PFAS were either below the limit of quantification or detected at low concentrations.
In FY2026, the survey will expand to previously unexamined categories with high domestic production volumes, and factors contributing to accumulation will be investigated for samples showing unusually high values. Research on transfer and accumulation in agricultural products will also continue from FY2026 onward, with results published on web pages and through other channels to promote information sharing.