You wouldn't think that chemicals banned in the 1970's would still be showing up in the food you eat today, but you're wrong. Scientists have found that small traces of chemicals such as DDT and PCB's, which were banned 30 years ago, are still showing up in the foods we eat now.
These chemicals are known as persistent organic pollutants and are located in the soil, air, and water. Even though they aren't used in large numbers anymore, any traces still left over find their way into dairy, meat, and even vegetables.
They compare the chemicals to sand from the beach; when you get home, you still have sand left over in your things. Even weeks, months, or years after your beach trip, there is always residual sand left over in your shoes. Scientists don't know how much these residual chemicals affect our health but the fact they have been banned for decades is a good start.
They found during a study that all different types of foods tested contained trace pesticides, with more fatty foods containing larger amounts. Farmed fish also had higher levels of pesticides due to fishmeal that is fed to them being contaminated.
Because of these findings, scientists are asking the government to step up food testing for trace chemicals and determine new levels of acceptability since old levels may be outdated or unsafe.
Picture and Article:
ScientificAmerican.com
