Eet zo min mogelijk verpakte voeding*
Uit een kleine studie door het Amerikaanse Silent Spring instituut, een instelling die onderzoek doet naar het
milieu en borstkanker en het voorkomen daarvan, blijkt dat de plasticverpakkingen van voeding zorgen voor hoge bloedwaarden van hormoon verstorende stoffen zoals Bisfenol A en het ftalaat DEHP. Het goede nieuws is dat het drie dagen eten van voeding zonder plasticverpakking de bloedwaarden van BPA met 66% en DEHP tot 56% doet dalen. BPA is een chemische stof die wordt gebruikt voor de productie van polycarbonaat, een transparante plastic die onder andere gebruikt wordt als drager van CD's en DVD's en voor onbreekbare flessen voor (baby)voeding, voor tafelbestek, en voorwerpen voor gebruik in microgolfovens. Het wordt ook gebruikt in epoxyharsen die als beschermende coating aan de binnenkant van voedingsverpakkingen in blik of karton worden aangebracht, of in leidingen en reservoirs voor drinkwater. Bisfenol A wordt ook gebruikt in vlamvertragende middelen, ook in tandvullingen en als oplosmiddel voor drukinkten. Het is bewezen dat BPA kan vrijkomen uit de verpakking en in de voeding terechtkomt. DEHP is het belangrijkste ftalaat en wordt gebruikt als weekmaker bij de productie van PVC. Plastics bevatten gemiddeld zo'n 1% tot 40% DEHP. Dierproeven tonen aan dat DEHP mogelijk schadelijk is voor de voortplanting of de ontwikkeling bij de mens. Voor de mens zijn voedingsverpakkingen de belangrijkste bron van BPA en DEHP. Om inname van deze hormoon verstorende stoffen te vermijden geven de wetenschappers de volgende tips:
1. Koop en eet geen in plastic verpakt voedsel.
2. Eet thuis. Buitenshuis eten geeft duidelijk hogere bloedwaarden van BPA en DEHP.
3. Bewaar uw voeding of kliekjes niet in plastic dozen maar gebruik daarvoor verpakkingen van glas of roestvast staal.
4. Verwarm uw voeding niet in de magnetron in plastic materiaal, ook niet als dat materiaal magnetron veilig is. Dat materiaal is dan wel veilig doch de inhoud niet. Gebruik alleen hittebestendig glas.
Cutting Prepackaged Foods Lowers BPA Levels: Study
The easiest way to reduce your exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals such as BPA (bisphenol A) may be to eat fresh, unpackaged foods, a new report suggests. When researchers from the Breast Cancer Fund and Silent Spring Institute gave fresh food to 20 study participants for three days, the level of BPA in their system dropped by 66 percent, and the level of DEHP (a plasticizer) dropped 53 to 56 percent. When they returned to a heavily pre-packaged diet their levels rose immediately.
Exposure to hormone disrupting chemicals such as BPA, or bisphenol A, can be reduced significantly by eating fewer foods packaged in metal cans or plastic, according to a new report from the Breast Cancer Fund and the Silent Spring Institute.
"I knew, of course, that these chemicals were in food packaging, but I was surprised by the magnitude of the decrease that we saw," said Ruthann Rudel, lead author of the study and director of research at the Silent Spring Institute, a nonprofit research organization named for Rachel Carson, whose book "Silent Spring" kicked off the modern environmental movement.
What Rudel and her colleagues found was that when fresh food -- not canned or packaged in plastic -- was given to 20 study participants over three days, the level of BPA and other chemicals in their systems dropped substantially.
On average there was 66 percent less BPA in their urine and a 53 to 56 percent decrease in the amount of DEHP, a plasticizer. When the participants returned to their normal eating habits, their levels of BPA and the DEHP compound spiked immediately.
While BPA is used to harden plastics and can also be found in paper receipts and the epoxy resin linings of food containers, DEHP is used to soften plastics and can be found in plastic food wrap.
"The take home from the study is that food packaging is where people are primarily exposed to these compounds," said Rudel. "Now we have a good estimate as to how food packaging contributes to our overall exposure and now we know how to reduce it. For a lot of exposure, that is not the case."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 90 percent of Americans have detectable levels of BPA in their bodies. The Food and Drug Administration's website states that "at this interim stage, FDA shares the perspective of the National Toxicology Program that recent studies provide reason for some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children."
Other studies have linked BPA and phthalates such as DEHP to infertility, heart disease and cancer, but there is still a debate over what levels of these chemicals are dangerous.
"There is outstanding health concerns about these chemicals, and while the health implications continue to be sorted out, there is an opportunity for individuals to reduce their exposure by making certain decisions," said Rudel.
The Silent Spring Institute has issued these tips to reduce exposure:
1. Fresh is best
BPA and phthalates can migrate from the linings of cans and plastic packaging into food and drinks. While it's not practical to avoid food packaging altogether, opt for fresh or frozen instead of canned food as much as possible.
2. Eat in
Studies have shown that people who eat more meals prepared outside the home have higher levels of BPA. To reduce exposure, consider cooking more meals at home with fresh ingredients. When you do eat out, choose restaurants that use fresh ingredients.
3. Store it safe
Food and drinks stored in plastic can collect chemicals from the containers, especially if the foods are fatty or acidic. Next time, try storing your leftovers in glass or stainless steel instead of plastic.
4. Don't microwave in plastic
Warmer temperatures increase the rate that chemicals leach into food and drinks. So use heat-resistant glass or ceramic containers when you microwave, or heat your food on the stove. The label "microwave safe" means safety for the container, not your health.
(Augustus 2011)
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