Unless you are buying organic, almost every food you buy contains chemicals. Whether those chemicals are harmless or dangerous can be a matter of opinion. However, the United States Food and Drug Association considers the type of chemical as well as the amount of chemical present when it determines whether the chemical is harmful.
Food Additives
Food additives are chemicals that are typically added to the food to improve the flavor or texture, to add color or to preserve the food. Examples of common food additives include sulfides and nitrates, which are used as preservatives in many prepared foods. Another example is food colorings such as FDRC yellow no. 5. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates the amount and types of additives that can be added to foods sold in the United States, but some people are sensitive to these chemicals and therefore they must avoid them.
Agricultural Chemicals
Many chemicals found on foods, particularly produce and meat, are by-products from their production. These chemicals include fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, hormones, insecticides and fungicides. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, regulates the use of these chemicals, but if the producer uses too much of the chemical, the food can become contaminated and unsafe to eat. Some pesticides, such as DDT, were used in agriculture and for other purposes until the EPA determined that they are unsafe.
Chemical Contaminants
Some chemicals that appear in foods have no agricultural or production purpose and are the result of environmental pollution or accidental contamination. Examples of these contaminants include mercury, PCBs, chlordane and dioxins, which are found in many seafoods because of water pollution. Children, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems are especially vulnerable to these contaminants. As a result, you should follow your physician's advice for determining safe portions of foods that are at higher risk of being contaminated, such as fish from the Great Lakes.
How to Avoid Chemicals
The only way to ensure that you are not consuming chemicals with your food is to purchase foods labeled "100 percent organic" under regulations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These foods must only contain natural ingredients, and must be processed without artificial ingredients or chemicals. Only natural pesticides and fertilizers may be used for a food to be certified 100 percent organic. Organic products are available in most well stocked grocery stores. Look for the USDA seal on the foods that certifies that the food is organic.
References
- "Food Service Manual for Health Care Institutions"; Ruby Parker Puckett, et al.; 2004
- Scorecard; Banned or Severely Restricted Pesticides; 2005
- "Understanding Food: Principles and Preparation"; Amy Brown; 2010
- World Health Organization; Chemical Risks in Food; 2011
- International Joint Commission; Great Lakes Fish Consumption Advisories; 2004
- United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service; Organic Labeling and Marketing Information; April 2008
