Presence of TFA and TFMS in Juices and Purees

This white paper investigates the presence of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and trifluoromethane sulphonic acid (TFMS) in juices and fruit/vegetable purees, particularly those aimed at infants and young children. A total of 46 products were analyzed, including 37 juices and drinks, and 9 purees. The study found elevated levels of TFA in orange juice, with an average concentration of 34,000 ng/l in samples above the reporting limit. Significant levels of TFA were also detected in some purees. TFMS was frequently observed in orange juice but less so in apple juice. The analysis compared TFA concentrations to drinking water guideline values from The Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany, noting that many samples exceeded these limits. The document outlines the methodology used for analysis and discusses the implications of TFA and TFMS presence in food products, highlighting potential environmental sources and the importance of monitoring these substances in foodstuffs.