‘Forever chemicals’ linked to cancer are found in virtually every food product sold in US stores, a shocking report suggests.
The watchdog Consumer Reports tested 85 everyday items for the presence of phthalates and bisphenols, two types of PFAS chemicals used to make plastics.
The researchers tried to make their sample size as broad as possible by testing water, soda, cereal, bread, meat, fish, spices, desserts and even baby food.
All but one product tested positive for the substances, which are called “forever chemicals” because they are virtually impossible to break down in the body and cause untold health problems.
It comes amid growing fears about the massive amounts of chemicals Americans are ingesting each year. A study earlier this week found that water bottles contained a quarter of a million pieces of microscopic plastic.
The products tested ranged from popular baby food, barbecue seasonings and private label products from Walmart and Trader Joe’s to products like Purdue chicken and organic pasta.
In its latest report, Consumer Reports measured the amount of phthalates – a group of chemicals used to make plastics more durable – in products in nanograms, which indicates a mass equal to one billionth of a gram.
The product with the highest amount of phthalates per serving in nanograms was Annie’s Organic Cheesy Canned Ravioli, which contained 53,580 nanograms of phthalates per serving.
The only product that tested negative for phthalates was Polar Seltzer’s canned raspberry lime drink.
Exposure to phthalates has been linked to asthma, ADHD, breast cancer, obesity and type II diabetes.
They have also been linked to a range of birth problems, including low IQ, behavioral problems, autism, altered reproductive development and male fertility problems.
Meanwhile, 79 percent tested positive for BPA and other bisphenols, another long-lasting plasticizer found in water bottles, metal food cans, bottle caps and water supply lines.
They have been linked to brain damage and problems in the prostate of fetuses, infants and children. They can also affect behavior, increase blood pressure and are linked to diabetes and heart disease.
The results may paint a grim picture of the chemicals Americans consume every day, but CR said BPA levels were lower than when it tested similar products in 2009.
It “suggests that we are at least moving in the right direction when it comes to bisphenols,” says Dr. James Rogers, who oversees product safety testing at Consumer Reports.
Microplastics, including ‘forever chemicals’, are quietly causing a health crisis that is costing the US a quarter of a trillion dollars every year, a study claims.
Consumer Reports also tested 18 fast food products, all of which tested positive for phthalates and most for the other chemicals as well.
CR experts said the results show that levels vary widely by product and they hope the results will help Americans make healthier choices for products with the lowest levels.
PFAS, also called forever chemicals, lurk in tap water. They are man-made plastics that seep into our water systems
America began using PFAS in the 20th century in virtually every manufacturing industry — from food packaging to kitchenware and clothing.
They are defined as plastic particles measuring less than five millimeters, about the size of a sesame seed, but thousands are too small to see with the naked eye.
The chemicals enter the water system and food supply through stormwater runoff, fishing, freight and cruise ships, and the wear and tear of household products that contain water-repellent properties, such as nonstick cookware.
When the small substances enter the body, they can enter the tissues and enter the bloodstream. Once there, they cause widespread inflammation when the immune system recognizes it as a foreign invader.
This inflammation can lead to tissue damage and inflammation in crucial organs such as the liver and heart.
Over time, they build up in the body, causing damage so extensive that it becomes irreversible and potentially fatal.
Dr. Philip Landrigan, a pediatrician and director of the Program for Global Public Health and the Common Good at Boston College, told CR, “Unlike a plane crash, where everyone dies at once, the people who die from this die over many years.”
A study earlier this week found that microplastics, including “forever chemicals,” are quietly causing a health crisis that is costing the US a quarter of a trillion dollars every year – through things like cancer, obesity and other chronic diseases.
BPA is an “endocrine disruptor,” meaning it can imitate the body’s hormones and disrupt the production and response to natural hormones such as estrogen. It has also been linked to low sperm count and infertility in men, as well as breast and prostate cancer
For the CR report, researchers divided the products they tested into 11 categories: beverages; beans in a can; spices; dairy; Fast food; cereals; infant nutrition; meat and poultry; packaged fruits and vegetables; prepared meals; and seafood.
Of the nine products tested in the beverage category, Brisk canned lemon iced tea had the highest nanogram phthalate content, at 7,460 per serving.
Coca-Cola’s original canned soda, Lipton’s diet green tea citrus in a plastic bottle and Poland Spring’s 100 percent natural spring water in a plastic bottle followed in second through fourth place.
In the canned beans category, four products were tested, with Hormel’s canned chili and beans taking the top spot. The product showed that it contained 9,840 phthalates per serving.
Bush’s canned chili red beans, Walmart’s baked beans and Bush’s baked beans rounded out the category.
Of the three products in the condiment area, Mrs. Butterworth’s Original Syrup in a plastic container tested the highest, with 1,000 nanograms of phthalates per serving. Second and third place respectively went to Hunt’s tomato ketchup and Sweet Baby Ray’s original BBQ sauce in a plastic bottle.
Fairlife’s Core Power High Protein Milkshake in a plastic bottle had the highest levels of phthalates of the 10 dairy products tested, at 20,450 per serving.
In the fast food category, CR tested 18 products, ranging from Wendy’s menu items and McDonald’s fries to a Chipotle burrito and Pizza Hut’s cheese pizza.
First place with almost 34,000 nanograms of phthalates per serving was taken by Wendy’s crispy chicken nuggets, served in a cardboard container.
Second through fifth place went to Moe’s Southwest Gill’s chicken burrito wrapped in aluminum foil, Chipotle’s chicken burrito wrapped in aluminum foil, Burger King’s whopper with cheese served in a cardboard box and Burger King’s chicken nuggets served in a paper bag, respectively.
Of the cereals, General Mills’ Original Cheerios scored the highest.
Although the cereal is advertised as being good for your heart, it contained almost 11,000 phthalates per serving.
In terms of results for parents, CR tested seven products in the infant nutrition category.
The products ranged from 700 to 4,300 phthalates per serving.
First place was taken by Gerber’s Baby Harvest Turkey Dinner meal, with 4,300 phthalates.
A close second was Similac’s canned baby milk-based powder formula, with 4,200 phthalates per serving.
Of the nine meat and poultry products, Perdue’s ground chicken breast in plastic tested for the highest amounts of phthalates per serving: nearly 10,000 nanograms.
Del Monte’s sliced peaches in canned fruit juice tested at levels of 25,000 nanograms of phthalates per serving, nearly triple the highest of the six products in the packaged fruits and vegetables category.
Another Del Monte product made the top three in the category even though it contained a fifth of the chemicals: the company’s fresh-cut canned Italian green beans had levels of 5,300 phthalates per serving.
Annie’s organic canned cheese ravioli came in with the highest levels in the prepared meals categories and out of all 85 products. This product tested positive at 53,580 nanograms of phthalates per serving.
In the final category – seafood – Chicken of the Sea’s canned, boneless pink salmon in water had the highest level of phthalates per serving, more than three times higher than the runner-up: 24,320.
Dr. Rogers said the results show how widespread the chemicals are, but declining levels and widely varying amounts in different products from the same company show that “there are ways to reduce the amount of them in our food.”