Occurrence of PFAS in Cow’s Milk: A Comparative Study of Swedish Farms near Contaminated Sites and Regional Dairy Production Facilities

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent pollutants that raise food safety concerns, especially near contamination hotspots. This study measured 9 PFAS in milk and 15 PFAS in water from 22 Swedish dairy farms <10 km from contamination hotspots and 49 PFAS in milk from 20 regional production facilities. PFOA, PFOS, and PFNA were quantified in 5-77% of milk from dairy farms, with maximum levels of 18, 17, and 10 pg/g milk ww, respectively; the remaining PFAS were below method detection limits (MDL). All PFAS were < MDL at production facilities. One dairy farm milk sample exceeded EU's indicative level for PFOA (10 pg/g), but levels in production facilities suggest limited consumer exposure. No correlation was found between PFAS in farm water and milk, implying other exposure routes may dominate when water contamination is low. While results indicate limited health risks, contamination in other milk-producing regions cannot be ruled out, supporting the need for continued PFAS monitoring in dairy production.