It’s not just the sugars in processed and fast foods that make them deadly—they also contain life-threatening chemicals.
Harmful chemicals, including plastic-softening phthalates, have been found in most of the samples of fast foods tested by researchers.
More than 80 percent of the 64 fast food products tested by a research team from George Washington University contained up to 10 harmful chemicals, including phthalates or more modern types of plasticizers.
It’s not clear how the chemicals got into the food—including cheeseburgers, burritos and pizzas—but some of the plastics were also found in the gloves used by the serving staff in the restaurants. Food conveyor belts and packaging may also have been sources.
The plastics can cause fertility problems, as well as ADHD-type issues in children.
The solution is simple: people should cook from scratch in their homes, and the fast-food industry also needs to be regulated so that the chemicals don’t get into the foods in the first place, said lead researcher Ami Zota.
(Source: Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, 2021; doi: 10.1038/s41370-021-00392-6)
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