Cumulative exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from eggs and egg products in Europe: application of relative potency factors

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are highly persistent contaminants frequently detected in foods of animal origin, raising concern for human health. Eggs and egg products are recognized by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) as one of the major dietary sources of PFAS exposure in Europe. This study applied the relative potency factors (RPFs), based on hepatic toxicity, to estimate cumulative dietary exposure to PFAS from eggs across different population groups. The 95th percentile occurrence data were combined with food consumption patterns to express exposure in perfluorooctanoic acid equivalents, providing a biologically relevant metric. Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid emerged as the dominant contributor to cumulative exposure. Toddlers exhibited the highest estimated weekly intake, reaching 1.63 ng/kg bw per week, while adolescents, adults, and elderly populations showed progressively lower values. These findings highlight children as a particularly vulnerable group due to higher intake per body weight. Consistent with previous studies, commercial eggs generally contained PFAS only at trace levels, whereas home-produced eggs often showed elevated contamination, in some cases exceeding the European Union maximum levels and EFSA's tolerable weekly intake. Overall, this work demonstrates the potential of the RPF approach for mixture-based risk assessment, underscores the need for refined exposure evaluation, and reinforces the importance of continuous monitoring of PFAS in eggs.