Friday,
January 06, 2012 by: David Gutierrez, staff writer
Toxic
chemicals used to line fast food wrappers migrate easily into human blood,
according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Toronto
and published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
Oily foods such as fast food and microwave popcorn are
regularly packaged in paper or cardboard coated with polyfluoroalkyl phosphate
esters (PAPs), which prevent water or grease from leaking through the
packaging. A prior study by the same research team confirmed that PAPs can
migrate from packaging into food, and thereby be ingested. This is an issue of
particular concern, because the body can metabolize PAPs into a highly toxic
class of chemicals called perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs).
The
most infamous PFCA is perflurooctanoic acid (PFOA, also known as C8) the active
ingredient in Teflon. PFOA and other PFCAs have been linked to a wide variety
of health problems including changes in cholesterol and sex hormones. They have
produced tumors and even infant death in animal studies.
"PFOA
used in non-stick pans (fast-food containers, carpets, furniture and a host of
other everyday household products) accumulates in the umbilical cords of babies
and is retarding their growth and brain development, according to two new
studies published in the prestigious journal Environmental Health Perspectives
(August 2007)," notes Andreas Moritz in the book Timeless Secrets of
Health & Rejuvenation.
"Babies
whose umbilical cords had the highest concentrations of PFOA were born lighter,
thinner and with smaller head circumferences than others."
In
the new study, researchers exposed rats to PAPs and confirmed that they were
indeed metabolized into PFOA.
"This discovery is important because we would like to
control human chemical exposure, but this is only possible if we understand the
source of this exposure," researcher Scott Mabury said.
He
noted that the findings refute attempts "to locate the blame for human
exposure on environmental contamination that resulted from past chemical use
rather than the chemicals that are currently in production."
Source: http://www.naturalnews.com/034578_fast_food_wrappers_chemicals.html#ixzz1invj0QL9
