Can PFAS from food packaging end up in Florida fish and your dinner plate?

What's actually in it

PFAS from manufacturing, fire-fighting foam, food packaging, and wastewater enter rivers and coastal waters. Fish living in these waters absorb PFAS through their gills and food. The chemicals concentrate in fish flesh, especially in predatory species that eat other contaminated fish.

People who catch and eat local fish from contaminated waterways get a dose of PFAS with every meal that may be much higher than what they'd get from store-bought fish.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Environ Res tested PFAS levels in fish from Florida's estuarine waters. The results showed widespread PFAS contamination across multiple fish species. Some species had levels that exceeded health advisory thresholds set by state and federal agencies.

The study estimated that people who eat locally caught fish several times a week could be getting PFAS doses well above what's considered safe. The contamination wasn't limited to areas near known pollution sources. Fish from a wide geographic range were affected.

If you eat locally caught fish from coastal or river waters, checking state fish consumption advisories for PFAS is a smart first step. Varying your seafood sources and including farmed fish from cleaner operations can help spread out the exposure.