By Mal Cottam
I spent last semester taking a random required 8-credit course that was totally irrelevant to my major, but little did I know how relevant it would be to my life. It was a food policy class and we talked about issues stemming from food deserts to school lunch programs. So why is this relevant to me and EVERY OTHER HUMAN BEING LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES? Well, that’s simple. Do you check every ingredient in every label of every food you eat? HELL NO!! Doesn’t the FDA (Food and Drugs Association) check and test every ingredient in every label of every food Americans eat to make sure there are no adverse side effects? Once again, HELL NO! The truth is, the FDA doesn’t have enough funding, labor or regulative authority over manufacturers to take questionable ingredients off the shelf. So here I am, doing my civil duty and sharing some facts and myths about some ingredients you should keep an eye out for.
(I promise to make this as least science-y as I can)
Potassium Bromate
FOUND IN: Bread products
USED FOR: Not only strengthen dough, but also assist in helping the flour rise higher
The International Agency for Research on Cancer currently labels potassium bromate as “possibly carcinogenic.”
EVIDENCE: In one study done by researchers, potassium bromate was found to be “…carcinogenic in rats and nephrotoxic in both man and experimental animals when given orally.” The study found that potassium bromate, “…induces renal cell tumors, mesotheliomas of the peritoneum, and follicular cell tumors of the thyroid.”
BANNED IN: China, Brazil, and parts of Europe
Azodicarbonamide
FOUND IN: Bread products and used to bleach and condition dough. Also used to make certain plastic items such as yoga mats and shoelaces
Up until recently, it was commonly used by Subway, but because of possible health concerns, they stopped using it as an additive.
EVIDENCE: The World Health Organization labels azodicarbonamide as a chemical that can cause “respiratory issues, allergies and asthma.” When azodicarbonamide is heated, it emits carcinogenic substances
BANNED IN: Europe and Australia
Olestra
FOUND IN: Ingredients advertised as having no fat, no cholesterol, or no calories
The health risks involved with olestra are gastrointestinal tract issues like diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and anal leakage
EVIDENCE: Consuming olestra can also lead to a depletion of vitamins and nutrients, which can lead to specific deficiencies (vitamin and nutrient deficiencies can lead to a variety of negative health outcomes such as fatigue, fragile bones, memory loss, ulcers, and many more)
BANNED IN: UK and Canada