The Shocking Health Risks of Pizza Boxes
The safety of packaging might
not have crossed your mind the last time you were feasting on a greasy
takeaway pizza in a box. But here's an eye-opener that will startle you:
according to the U.S.A.'s Food and Drug Administration (FDA), those
pizza boxes are no good for your health, which is why they decided to
introduce a new policy to ban the use of certain chemicals added to
their material. The alarming reasons for their latest action have just
been announced.
Basically, the material used to make pizza boxes, as well as other packaging like that of microwaveable popcorn, contains chemicals of the perfluoroalkyl ethyl kind,
which are known for their ability to repel and resist oil and water.
They are the reasons why your packaging stays surprisingly intact, even
after being smeared with scraps of oily and juicy food. Hot and oily
food, such as pizzas, have more of a chance of being exposed to the
chemicals in the cardboard. The FDA has now identified three types of perfluoroalkyl ethyl containing food-contact substances (FCSs)
that are posing potential risks to our health, including the risk of
cancer (as discovered by the National Institutes of Health). The banning
has been in effect as of the 4th of January 2016, with the aim of
improving the quality of our food supply.
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- What are these Perfluoroalkyl Ethyl Containing Food-Contact Substances (FCSs)?
Perfluoroalkyl Ethyl Containing Food-Contact Substances (FCSs), also known as perfluorochemicals
(PFCs), are chemicals that are found in various products, including
Teflon pans, non-stick cookware, waterproof jackets, fire-fighting
foams, furniture fabrics, and, as previously stated, food packaging. The
fact that it is so commonly used made health experts curious about its
health effects, which were found to be significant. These chemicals are
indeed toxic and harmful to us, and to other living things, and oral
intake of them is particularly dangerous, especially since 95% of the
chemicals are absorbed by the body. The shocking reality is: we are
constantly consuming them, through the use of the aforementioned products.
- What health problems are related?
After several experiments on
laboratory animals, it has been revealed that exposure to FCSs can lead
to worrying health problems. FCSs may be one of the causes of birth
defects, alteration of lipid metabolism, thyroid problems, alteration of
the immune system, and high levels of cholesterol. They could also
trigger hormonal changes and developmental harm. Furthermore, animal
studies have also suggested the risk of cancer in several body organs,
including the liver, pancreas and reproductive organs. All these
findings led to the huge concerns about the safety and the authorized
uses of these chemicals.
We've all come in contact
with these materials in one way or another, and now that you know the
dangers they harbor, we recommended you keep away from them as much as
possible. Start by avoiding packaged oily fast food and opting to eat in
more frequently. Also, try to avoid non-stick cookware, since these may
also contain harmful chemicals. At least, make sure you do not heat
them more than 450ºF, and you discard them immediately if you observe
signs of deterioration.
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