Latest news with #foodcontamination
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
From dementia to sepsis: The deadly diseases lurking in your kitchen appliances
Kitchens are usually home to the most delicious items in your house, but mounting research has revealed that almost every appliance can also make you incredibly sick. From countertops and sinks to refrigerators and microwaves, scientists have found some disturbing links between these items and conditions like cancer, dementia, and sepsis. Your browser does not support iframes.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
The deadly link between your dishwasher and DEMENTIA... and 10 other unexpected ways your kitchen can make you sick
Kitchens are usually home to the most delicious items in your house, but mounting research has revealed that almost every appliance can also make you incredibly sick. From countertops and sinks to refrigerators and microwaves, scientists have found some disturbing links between these items and conditions like cancer, dementia, and sepsis. Your browser does not support iframes.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New study makes concerning discovery about farms where food is grown: 'A critical step in understanding the potential risks'
A recent study made a disturbing discovery about the ongoing problem of tire chemicals seeping into agricultural products. A recent study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials found that additives used in tire manufacturing were present in common fruits and vegetables eaten in Switzerland. While further research is needed to understand the implications for human health, this discovery was described as "a critical step in understanding the potential risks associated with these contaminants." As explained in a report from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne published by tires often "release additives such as antioxidants and vulcanizing agents" that can make their way to agriculture after dispersing through the air and being transported by runoff water. In addition to inhaling these chemicals, humans are exposed to them by ingesting contaminated food, researchers from the EPFL and the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office determined. "Our exposure to these additives is similar to that for other micropollutants," Florian Breider, who heads the Central Environmental Laboratory research group at the EPFL, said, per the university's report. "They're around us constantly, in every part of our environment. What we don't know is whether we need to introduce tighter controls, such as by phasing them out in tire manufacturing in favor of less toxic alternatives." As part of the study, scientists tested fruits and vegetables for 11 compounds typically found in tire additives and found traces of those compounds in 31% of the samples. The origin of the fruits and vegetables and whether they were organic made no difference in the findings, showing how wide the range of exposure is for the general public. "Since people's diets are broadly the same throughout Western Europe, there's a good chance that these findings are representative of consumers' exposure in neighboring countries," Breider said in the EPFL's report. This marks another growing concern for crops around the world. Many people are aware of the issue of fruits and vegetables being covered in pesticides. While useful for protecting crops, pesticides can have detrimental effects and can lead to an increased risk of significant health issues such as cancer and diabetes. The health effects of tire additives are still being explored, but any exposure to chemicals is unsettling. "We don't know how these compounds are metabolized by the human body," Breider said in the EPFL's report. "It's something we need to explore because we're all exposed to these compounds—and especially people in certain population groups, such as road workers." According to the EPFL's report, scientists in China are also looking into the subject and testing for the presence of tire additives in human blood and urine samples. Scientists in Switzerland are taking the broader approach of "exploring ways in which roads can be decontaminated to prevent tire additives from entering the environment." Do you worry about pesticides in your food? All the time Sometimes Not really I only eat organic Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. You can limit exposure to chemicals in various ways. Cooking at home as much as possible, using less plastic packaging, and growing your own produce are simple actions you can take to protect yourself. By increasing consumer awareness of these dangers, more people can put pressure on companies to phase out dangerous materials. Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Health officials shut down restaurant after customers got sick, police say
A Merced restaurant is closed after health officials found foods were contaminated. The Merced Police Department said they were notified by a local hospital after several people got sick after eating at Carniceria Los Cerritos, located at 235 W. 12th St. in Merced. The Merced County Division of Environmental Health confirmed that preliminary findings suggest food items were contaminated with a controlled substance of unknown origin, police said. The restaurant has been closed by County officials pending further investigation and any required cleanup. Police said they will be working with public health officials to support their investigation and ensure the safety of the community. 'We encourage anyone who became ill after consuming food from this establishment to report it to the Merced County Division of Environmental Health or the Merced Police Department,' authorities said.
Daily Mail
18-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Experts warn of 5 types of fruit and veg that contain worrying levels of toxic pesticides
An apple a day may keep the doctor away—but it could also mean you're consuming potentially harmful levels of toxic pesticides. Apples, along with grapes, strawberries, nectarines and spinach, top the list for the highest traces and widest variety of pesticides that have been linked to cancer and reproductive problems, according to research from The Environmental Working Group (EWG). The body has warned that a combination of chemicals may result in more harm to human health due to toxins that are released when they interact. Strawberries topped the list with an average of 7.8 different pesticides per sample, including carbendazim, which has been linked in studies to infertility and cancer. Investigations have previously found strawberries may be rife with carbendazim, as well as a compound called bifenthrin, which is thought to have potential neurological effects. For the latest analysis, experts sampled 46 fruits and vegetables, 12 of which were the most contaminated with pesticides—including kale, pears, peaches, peppers, cherries, blueberries and green beans. The team analysed tens of thousands of samples collected by the Agricultural Department and the Food and Drug Administration in the US. A total of 209 pesticides were found and across all 12 items, with 95 percent of samples carrying traces of at least one chemical. The most frequently detected chemicals were anti-fungal pesticides such as fludioxonil, pyraclostrobin, boscalid and pyrimethanil. Some studies suggest fludioxonil can cause DNA damage which could lead to increased cancer risk, according to the National Institues of Health. The body also warns that boscalid has been shown, in rare cases, to cause damage to cells that some scientists believe can lead to the development of cancerous tumours. Pyrimethanil, while relatively low toxicity for humans, has been shown to disrupt hormone regulation in animals, which could impact reproduction. 'Emerging evidence suggests many widely used fungicides may disrupt human hormone systems,' said EWG senior toxicologist Dr Alexis Temkin. Spinach was another poor performer: tests detected an average of seven pesticides on conventional spinach samples, with up to 19 different pesticides on one of the samples tested. Three-fourths of the samples were contaminated with a neurotoxic insecticide, permethrin, which is banned from use on food crops in Europe. At high doses, permethrin is thought to affect the nervous system, risking tremors and seizures. Apples were found to contain very high levels of diphenylamine, which can damage various organs and systems in the body through consistent and long term exposure. It can be toxic to the blood, kidneys, liver, and bladder. According to the European Commission, food businesses must ensure that what they produce or import is compliant with maximum safety residue levels. However the law doesn't stipulate a specific threshold. Speaking of the risk of multiple pesticides, UK lobby group Pesticide Action Network UK said: 'The government sets safety limits for just one pesticide at a time, ignoring the growing body of evidence that chemicals can become more harmful when combined. 'Several pieces of research conducted on human cells and tissues have highlighted that pesticide mixtures can lead to the creation of cancer cells and disruption of the endocrine system, which produces hormones that regulate metabolism, growth and development, tissue function, sexual function and reproduction. 'Pesticide mixtures have been associated with obesity and impaired liver function, even when the doses of individual chemicals are below the safety levels set by regulators,' the group added. The EWG advised switching to organic or at least washing the fruit and veg and peeling where possible. Pesticides are applied on fruits and vegetables to prevent or kill fungal diseases like powdery mildew. They're often used after harvest to keep produce mould-free on its way to market.
