Are the chemicals found in popular seltzers like Topo Chico and Polar Seltzer bad for you? Expert weighs in

Forever chemicals have recently entered the public consciousness in the United States as something to avoid. 

Everything from clothing to certain foods has come under fire for containing PFAs. In recent years, sparkling water has been added to that list.

However, is the concern as bad as it sounds?

According to food scientist and TikTok creator who goes by Hydroxide (@hydroxide), the topic isn’t so black and white. In a recent video with over 45,200 views at the time of writing, she provides some additional context. 

What you need to know about PFAs in seltzer

In her Here’s Every Conversation I’ve Ever Had as a Food Scientist series, she used a skit format to show how people often react to hearing about PFAs (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in sparkling water.

The skit starts with a character, played by @hydroxide approaching a food scientist.

“Hey, did you hear about that Consumer Reports study that found really high levels of PFAs in seltzer waters?” she asks. “I’m so sad my healthy soda alternative has forever chemicals in it.”

​For some context, PFAS or forever chemicals are synthetic chemicals commonly used in products like nonstick cookware, water-resistant clothing, and food packaging.

As their name suggests, they can survive in the environment for a long time. According to studies, consistent exposure could lead to potential health hazards such as liver damage, thyroid disease, fertility problems, and an increased risk of certain cancers.

Then, switching to herself, @hydroxide brings in the nuance.

“PFAs are definitely a concern since they are resistant against natural breakdown processes,” she explains, adding that not all water filters can remove them—meaning even manufacturers that filter their water might still have some forever chemicals in the final product.

She referenced a Consumer Reports study that tested only 2 to 4 samples per brand and found that some brands, such as Topo Chico (owned by Coca Cola) and Polar Seltzer, exceeded the EPA’s maximum contaminant level of 4 parts per trillion (PPT) for drinking water.

“All the other brands were lower than the safe maximum contaminant level. Although, there is some discussion as to whether or not the contaminant level should be lower,” she said.

She also pointed out that Spindrift and San Pellegrino had very low PFAs test results, showing that some brands have figured out ways to limit contamination.

How to avoid forever chemicals in sparkling water

“The best way to avoid PFAs in sparkling water is to make your own sparkling water at home with a water filter from a reputable testing organization,” she suggested but also acknowledged that the issue isn’t one-size-fits-all.

She noted that brands like Topo Chico have since worked to lower their PFAs levels, meaning changes are already happening.

Finally, she pointed out a major limitation of the Consumer Reports study, which is that the sample size was small. More research is needed to get a clearer picture of just how much PFAs show up in sparkling water.

The skit wraps up with her character not really getting the point.

“Yeah, yeah, no, they’re not sometimes chemicals; they’re forever chemicals,” she said. 

What's the latest on PFAs in brands like Polar Seltzer and Topo Chico?

As @hydroxide mentioned, Consumer Reports found in 2021 that Topo Chico had reduced its forever chemicals levels by half.

Additionally, the company reportedly told Consumer Reports that it had upgraded its filtration systems and was continuing to make improvements.

As for Polar Seltzer, the company states on its website that its drinks now contain 'undetectable levels' of PFAs.

“Through continuous testing and rigorous monitoring of our water quality we can confidently state that all Polar® beverages have 'undetectable levels' of PFAS—the highest attainable level,” they wrote. 

The Daily Dot couldn’t find a more recent test of these two beverages, but we’ve reached out to Coca Cola and Polar for an update.

Commenters share their thoughts

In the comments, users reacted with a mix of humor, personal experiences, and skepticism about PFAs in sparkling water.

One person joked about their seltzer habit, writing, “Me, watching this while drinking my 10th Polar Seltzer of the day.”

Another shared their experience working in water management. “I was working for a municipal water department when the EPA lowered the safe levels a few years ago, and overnight our water had 1000x the new safe level,” they wrote. “That was a fun few weeks at work.”

A third commenter questioned whether seltzer should even be the main concern. “The truth is we have no idea what the long-term effects will be, and I’m 100% sure there are sources of PFAs we should be more concerned about than sparkling water,” they wrote. 

@hydroxide PFAS in sparkling water doesn’t change the fact that Kin is the worst tasting adaptogenic drink #foodscience #pfas #microplastics #foreverchemical #foodscientist #topochico #spindrift #sparklingwater #seltzer #cpg ♬ original sound - hydroxide - food scientist

The Daily Dot has reached out to @hydroxide and Coca-Cola via email for comment. We've also contacted Polar via its website’s contact form.

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The post Are the chemicals found in popular seltzers like Topo Chico and Polar Seltzer bad for you? Expert weighs in appeared first on The Daily Dot.

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