Potentially dangerous levels of plastic chemicals have become “widespread” in popular grocery products including Cheerios, Coca-Cola and Gerber cereals, according to a report.
Consumer Reports, the non-profit advocacy group, tested 85 food items sold at supermarkets and by fast food chains — finding some level of plastic chemicals in 84 of them.
The chemicals, called “plasticizers” or phthalates, seep in mainly through packaging materials and can cause cancer, infertility, birth defects, obesity and other significant health problems, the report said.
The group is calling on the feds to ban the use of phthalates.
Products that had among the highest levels of plastics were Yoplait’s Original Low Fat French Vanilla; Ben & Jerry’s vanilla ice cream; Wendy’s crispy chicken nuggets; Burger King’s Whopper; General Mills’ original Cheerios; Perdue ground chicken breast and Del Monte sliced peaches, according to the report.
None of the levels exceeded US limits deemed unsafe by regulators, but scientists say any level of plastics in food can be dangerous, according to the report.
Previous efforts to reduce consumers’ exposure to plastics “focused on packaging,” according the publication. “But it’s now clear that phthalates in particular can get in from the plastic in the tubing, conveyor belts and gloves used during food processing, and can even enter directly into meat and produce via contaminated water and soil.”
The chemicals can also contaminate food via lined metal cans and plastic wraps, according to the report.
Consumer Reports noted that some packaged products had very low levels of plastic contamination when compared to its rivals. For instance, Pizza Hut Original Pan Pizza had half the amount of plastics as Domino’s Hand Tossed Cheese Pizza.
Beech-Nut Fruities Pouch Pear, Banana & Raspberries also had half the amount of plastic as Gerber Mealtime for Baby Harvest Turkey Dinner.
Polar Springs seltzer, meanwhile, was found to have no contaminants.
“That tells us that, as widespread as these chemicals are, there are ways to reduce how much is in our foods,” said James Rogers, who overseas product safety testing at CR.
Viwango hatari vya kemikali za plastiki vimeenea sana katika bidhaa maarufu za vyakula ikiwa ni pamoja na nafaka za Cheerios, Coca-Cola na Gerber, kulingana na ripoti. Consumer Reports, kikundi cha kutetea faida, ilichunguza bidhaa 85 za chakula zinazouzwa katika maduka makubwa na minyororo ya chakula cha haraka na kupata kiwango fulani cha kemikali za plastiki katika 84 kati yao. "Kemikali hizo, zinazoitwa ""plasticizers"" au phthalates, huingia ndani hasa kupitia vifaa vya ufungaji na zinaweza kusababisha kansa, utasa, kasoro za kuzaliwa, unene wa kupita kiasi na matatizo mengine makubwa ya afya,"" ripoti hiyo ilisema." Kundi hilo linaomba serikali ya shirikisho ipige marufuku matumizi ya phthalates. "Miongoni mwa bidhaa zilizokuwa na viwango vya juu zaidi vya plastiki ni ""Yoplait's Original Low Fat French Vanilla,"" ""Ben & Jerry's Vanilla Ice Cream,"" ""Wendy's Crispy Chicken Nuggets,"" ""Burger King's Whopper,"" ""General Mills's Cheerios,"" ""Purple ground chicken breast"" na ""Del Monte sliced peaches.""" Hakuna kiwango kilichozidi kiwango cha Marekani ambacho kinachotambuliwa kuwa si salama na wasimamizi, lakini wanasayansi wanasema kiwango chochote cha plastiki katika chakula kinaweza kuwa hatari. Jitihada za awali za kupunguza utumiaji wa watumiaji kwa plastiki "zilizingatia ufungaji", kulingana na chapisho hilo. "Lakini sasa ni wazi kwamba phthalates hasa inaweza kupata katika kutoka plastiki katika bomba, conveyor mikanda na kinga kutumika wakati wa usindikaji wa chakula, na hata inaweza kuingia moja kwa moja katika nyama na kuzalisha kupitia maji na udongo kuchafuliwa. ""Kemikali pia inaweza kuchafua chakula kupitia lined makopo ya chuma na plastiki wrappers, kulingana na ripoti." Ripoti za Watumiaji zilibainisha kwamba bidhaa fulani zilizopakwa vifurushi zilikuwa na viwango vya chini sana vya uchafuzi wa plastiki ikilinganishwa na washindani wake. Kwa mfano, Pizza Hut Original Pan Pizza ilikuwa na nusu ya kiasi cha plastiki kama Domino's Hand Tossed Cheese Pizza. Beech-Nut Fruities Pouch Pear, Banana & Raspberries pia ilikuwa na nusu ya kiasi cha plastiki kama Gerber Mealtime kwa Baby Harvest Turkey Dinner. Wakati huohuo, seli ya Polar Springs haikuwa na uchafuzi wowote. "Hiyo inatuambia kwamba, kama vile kemikali hizi zinaenea, kuna njia za kupunguza kiasi kilicho katika vyakula vyetu, ""alisema James Rogers, ambaye anaongoza majaribio ya usalama wa bidhaa nje ya nchi katika CR."