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« New Doubts About Roundup | Main | Is bottled water safe? Who knows!? »
Because pesticides on your food aren't bad enough
By Amy Rosenthal
Worried about your cantaloupe catching fire?
You might not have to anymore! Your fruits and veggies may be doused in Deca, a flame retardant chemical and known neurotoxin.
How could a flame retardant get on my apples?
The food industry uses plastic pallets made with the toxic chemical Deca to store certain fruits and vegetables. These pallets may go through a process called "hydrocooling," where they're submerged or water is sprayed over them to keep the produce fresh. As the water is reused, Deca leaching from the pallets can build up, eventually leaving residue on the food itself.
(Fun fact: two of the fruits likely to be hydrocooled - apples and peaches - are the two with the most pesticide residues, according to EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides. How's that for your daily serving of chemicals?)
What are the risks of Deca?
Deca is a member of the family of flame retardants known as PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers). PBDEs, which accumulate in the blood and tissue of people and wildlife, have been associated with disruptions in brain development and hormone systems. Two other types of PBDEs have been pulled from the market due to health dangers, and 10 state legislatures have proposed bans on Deca.
Is anyone checking that my food is toxic-free?
The FDA has said that pallets made with Deca are "not authorized" for hydrocooling and that food with Deca residue would be considered "adulterated." Last week, EWG Senior Vice President Richard Wiles sent a letter to the FDA Commissioner urging her to investigate to see what's actually happening. No one knows for sure what these food companies are up to, but as Richard writes on EWG's Kid-Safe blog, "It's the FDA's job to find out."
Hi Amy,
Thank you so much for this! I have been buying Granny Smith apples because they don't require the fungicide that is so dangerous.... I never would have expected that they might contain other chemicals -- such as flame retardant!
Do you know whether this washes off with soap and water?
Please advise on http://trends-by-mindbridge.blogspot.com/.
I will write an article now, and if you leave a comment it will be most helpful to the readers.
Thanks,
Nancy
Nancy, We have a terrific Ask EWG post and podcast on your question about washing to minimize chemical residue - it's here: http://www.enviroblog.org/2008/01/ask-ewg-how-should-i-wash-my-fruits-and-veggies.html, and the '08 podcast is on towards the bottom of this post: http://www.enviroblog.org/2008/01/ewg-serves-up-mixed-greens.html. Hope this helps, Lisa