Studies on the dangerous impacts of phthalates on our health seem to come out every week. Given their hormone- or endocrine-disrupting effects phthalate exposure has been linked to a host of health conditions making their widespread use a serious public health concern. Pregnant women and children especially are at heightened risk.
The chemicals have been linked to diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis in women. Furthermore, phthalates can affect a child’s brain and interfere with the sexual development, causing genital birth defects, lower testosterone production in young boys, and breast development in girls as early as the age of two.
In 2014, 12 billion pounds of these chemicals were produced by the global chemistry industry. Though phthalates are not intentionally added to food, they can migrate into food products during processing, packaging, and preparation. Higher levels of phthalates tend to be found in highly processed or fatty foods.
Though Europe banned the use of most phthalates in plastics that come in contact with fatty foods, including dairy products, these chemicals are still leaching into our food on a daily basis in the United States. Based on outdated safety data and policies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) still allows the use of DEHP and 27 other phthalates in food contact materials.
Toxic chemicals found in nearly every cheese product tested
