Mac and Cheese: Scary New Study!
Mac and Cheese
An article published by CNN Health talks about the chemicals in Mac and Cheese. I have summarized the most important information in this blog post.
The Coalition for Safer Food and Processing & Packaging published a study concerning the amount of phthalates in mac and cheese.
Phthalates are chemicals that are used in soaps, plastics, adhesives, rubbers, inks and fragrances. Even though these substances are not added directly to the product, they make their way in through the manufacturing process. They infiltrate the food through plastic tubing, plastic gloves, and the gaskets all along the food supply chain said Mike Belliveau, executive director of the Environmental Health Strategy Center, one of the groups participating in the coalition.
According to the National Institutes of Health, these chemicals are believed to be endocrine disruptors, able to interfere with the body’s hormonal system. They are easily absorbed by fat cells, moving from plastics into food, and food into people. High levels of exposure have been linked to fertility issues for both men and women, as well as behavioral and neurodevelopmental issues in children who are exposed to them in utero. According to the Naionl Toxicology Program, the phthalate DEHP is likely to cause cancer, based on evidence in mice.
These kinds of chemicals are banned in children’s products. The CNN article quotes the FDA spokeswoman Megan McSeveney said “there must be sufficient scientific information to demonstrate the substance is safe under the intended conditions of use.The FDA continues to examine data on these compounds as it becomes available.”
The Numbers
The samples were sent to a lab in Belgium to test for 13 different phthalates, and the results were the following:
When looking at fat alone:
powdered cheese mix -> 4x more than natural cheeses and 1.5x more than in processed cheeses
30 products were tested, some which were labeled as organic. The finding that stands out from the rest were 9 Kraft Heinz products. This company is the largest seller of boxed mac and cheese. (76% of the market share).
The company responded saying: “We do not add phthalates to our products. The trace amounts that were reported in this limited study are more than 1,000 times lower than the levels the scientific authorities have identified as acceptable. Our products are safe for consumers to enjoy.”
Belliveau of Environmental Health Strategy Center concluded with: “We’re not alleging that every single product is unsafe…but the risk is already too high, so further reference is needed to identify where the phthalates are coming from.
The article closes saying that the Coalition for Safer Food Processing & Packaging is petitioning Kraft Heinz to identify the source of chemicals and remove them from the food packaging process.
Stay tuned to our blog posts for more informative articles on health!