For additional information on any of the following topics, click
on the links below.
What are the contaminants in our food supply?
Many of the contaminants in our food come from environmental pollution
of years past. Some of the contaminants are added by the food processing
industry to make food safer and more appealing. Pollutants vary
from food to food. Eating a diet full of fresh fruits, vegetables,
dairy products, grain, and fish is important to everyone's health.
However, these foods can contain contaminants that are not so healthy.
Fish, especially those higher up in the feeding chain, can contain
large amounts of contaminants. The five most common contaminants
are mercury, PCB's, chlordane, dioxins, and DDT. Mercury can be
naturally occurring, but more importantly, is the mercury dumped
into landfills and water sources through industrial waste. PCB's
are a group of synthetic chemicals used by many industries. Chlordane
was a chemical used as an insecticide for 40 years in the United
States. Its use has been banned since 1988. Unfortunately, when
chlordane or its related chemicals are mixed into the water, the
chemicals persist and result in high concentrations that are readily
absorbed by fish. Dioxins are a group of related chemicals produced
by incinerating industrial waste. The bleaching process to make
our paper products white results in a majority of dioxin production.
DDT was a very potent pesticide used in the 1960's. It was the first
pesticide banned by the EPA. Although it has not been used for many
years, DDT still persists in the environment.
Milk and dairy products comprise a large portion of a child's diet.
For example, milk constitutes about 43% of a young child's diet.
Infants may drink even more milk. The biggest contaminant of milk
and dairy products is the chemical dioxin. Dioxins are deposited
in the soil, foliage and water where cattle eat and drink. Breastfed
infants can also consume dioxins and many other chemicals that are
ingested through the mother's diet.
Meat can be contaminated with dioxins, hexachlorobenzene, and chlorhexidine
diacetate. Hexachlorobenzene was used as a pesticide until 1965,
but it still persists in the environment today. It passes up the
food chain when wild game and livestock eat plants and grasses.
Vegetarians can get exposure to these same chemicals through their
diets too. Chlorhexidine diacetate is used as a disinfectant in
meat, poultry, and egg processing.
Fruits and vegetables may contain pesticides that are discussed
in detail in the Pesticide section. Fruits and vegetables may be
contaminated with other chemicals in the soil and water.
Grain foods can be contaminated by chlorpyrifos-methyl, a pesticide
that protects wheat, barley, oats, and rice. Hexachlorobenzene was
used as a pesticide until 1965, but it still persists in the environment
today. Propionic acid is a chemical used to control bacterial and
fungal growth in stored grains and cattle and poultry feed. Human
exposure results from eating grain product, meat, and poultry.
Why are these contaminants harmful?
Many of the contaminants found in our food supply are not harmful
when ingested in small quantities. However, since many of the contaminants
can be found in different food groups, there is a risk of "bioconcentration".
Many of these contaminants are stored in the fat, where they accumulate
to potentially toxic levels. Research has shown that the developing
brain and body of a child is at higher risk to the harmful effects
of such exposures.
Mercury can damage the developing brain and nervous system in children
and fetuses. PCB's may cause low birth weight, low IQ scores, and
lower behavioral scores. Chlordane has the high potential for "bioconcentration".
Dioxin exposure can negatively effect almost every body system.
DDT is a known carcinogen and can cause genetic damage. Hexachlorobenzene
can cause problems in the bones, kidneys, blood cells, and immune
system. It may cause fetal malformations. Improper use of chlorhexidine
diacetate can cause eye damage and liver problems.
What is being done to protect us from exposure to these food contaminants?
The Environmental Protection Agency is working every day to reduce
the amount of pollutants put into the environment. They have been
successful in banning some of the most toxic chemicals in the world.
However, some of these chemicals will remain in the environment
for centuries to come because they do not break down. The Food and
Drug Administration and the United Stated Department of Agriculture
also oversee the safety and integrity of our food supply. Many of
the chemicals used in agriculture are necessary to ensure an abundant,
pest-free food supply. Your local health department also plays an
important role in ensuring food safety. When there are local problems,
they issue advisories, especially those concerning fish and other
wildlife.
What can I do to protect my family from food contaminants?
First and foremost, this information is not intended to scare you
or discourage you from eating a healthy diet. It is presented to
educate you and allow you to make informed decisions about the foods
you give your family. When making food choices for your family,
be aware that pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children are
at the highest risk for harmful effects from contaminants in our
food. You can reduce your exposure to food contaminants by doing
a few simple things.
- Eat a healthy diet consisting of a wide variety of foods.
- Trim off excess fat from meat and poultry to reduce ingestion
of chemicals stored in animal fat.
- Buy organic foods.
- Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant and nursing mothers
should limit fish consumption to 6 ounces per week and never eat
raw fish.
- Children should only consume 2 ounces of fish per week and never
eat raw fish.
Where can I get more information?
Call, write or visit the agencies' web sites.
Environmental Protection Agency Region 5
77 W. Jackson
Chicago, IL 60604
(312) 886-6003
www.epa.gov
Food and Drug Administration Office of Public Affairs
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
(888) 723-3366
www.fda.gov
US Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service
Food Safety Education Office
1400 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 2025
(202) 720-7943
www.fsis.usda.gov
|
