These substances may still be lurking in your food.
When you go grocery shopping, you usually don't look at the back
of the package for a long list of ingredients. However, you should! Some food
ingredients are still legal in the U.s. but are banned in other countries.
They're banned for a reason. Many of them lead to severe health issues.
Some companies have decided to take things into their own hands. Fast-food chains and soda companies listened to the research and petitions. Despite The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) not banning these ingredients, they phased them out anyway for the health and safety of consumers.
But if not banned, they're bound to be still used in food in the
U.S. Read on to find out what these dangerous ingredients are so you can avoid
them.
1. Azodicarbonamide
Yoga mats contain a chemical compound that can also be found in
cereal and bread. The same ingredient that makes your dough soft and fluffy
joins you in that Saturday morning yoga sesh. Even though the FDA still approves its use, azodicarbonamide is banned in Europe and Australia as a food
additive.
According to the World Health Organization, the chemical may cause
asthma and other respiratory problems. And the FDA even noted that
azodicarbonamide breaks down to form semicarbazide (SEM) during bread-making,
which was shown to cause an increase of tumors in female mice. However, the FDA
also adds: "These studies were conducted in rodents at levels of SEM that
far exceed estimates of human exposure from the consumption of ADA-treated
flour or bread products."
After Subway announced removing the chemical from their bread in
2014, many fast-food chains followed. However, some products, such as Arby's
croissants, still contain azodicarbonamide, so keep an eye out for this
ingredient.
2. Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
Butylated hydroxyanisole is banned from food in Australia, Europe,
Canada, Japan, and New Zealand, despite being legal in the United States. The
chemical is "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen,"
according to the National Toxicology Program's 14th Report on Carcinogens.
In rats, mice, and hamsters, BHA has been shown to cause
forestomach tumors. However, there is currently little research on how it
affects humans. BHA can be found in cereal, chips, instant mashed potatoes, nut
mixes, and more, so look out for the ingredient on these packages.
3. Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO)
Many soda companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi have dropped
Brominated Vegetable Oil from their list of ingredients. However, it's
technically still allowed for use by the FDA (with some restrictions). Skin
hypersensitivity, headaches, fatigue, memory loss, and other symptoms have been
reported in cases of heavy BVO consumption, which has been banned in Japan and Europe.
4. Olestra
According to the Center For Science In The Public Interest,
Olestra is banned in Canada and Europe because it has been linked to
gastrointestinal diseases. Because Olestra is a calorie-free and fat-free
chemical, the FDA still allows it to be used as a food additive to be included
in some diet versions of chips and fries.
5. Synthetic hormones (rBGH)
Despite being banned in Canada and Europe, rBGH is still used in
the dairy industry in the United States. The Center for Food and Safety reported
that rBGH causes health problems in cows and produces higher levels of the
hormone IFG-1 in milk consumers.
Given that IFG-1 is linked to breast, prostate, and colon cancers,
there's reasonable concern that rBGH is not yet banned in the U.S. However,
many dairy farmers have boycotted rBGH, so it will not appear in all dairy
products.
6. Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
FDA still approves PFAS for wrappers, microwave popcorn bags,
takeout containers, pet food bags, and other food packaging. Several countries,
such as Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden, have filed a
petition to the European Union to restrict and ban PFAS because they "have
been documented as toxic and bioaccumulative substances, both concerning human
health and the environment," according to the petition.
The city of Denver in the United States took matters into its own
hands and banned PFAs in all food packaging. Although studies are ongoing, the
National Cancer Institute has reported that PFAs may be associated with kidney
cancer, prostate cancer, and several other types of cancer.
The FDA may not have banned PFAS yet, but fast-food chains like Wendy's and McDonald's announced that they would phase them out from the packaging. Yet recent lawsuits against McDonald's and Burger King show that they haven't entirely banned PFAS yet.