Posted by Wesydney on April 18, 2024

Recently, the British government inspected fresh produce sold in supermarkets and found a horrible fact. They found that many products contain potentially dangerous chemicals PFAS. This man-made substance called PFAS is never metabolized by the human body once it is consumed.

They are associated with many serious health problems, including cancer, high cholesterol, decreased kidney function, thyroid disease, low fertility, immune system suppression and low birth weight of infants.

Daily Mail

According to the Daily Mail, strawberries topped the list of fruits and vegetables containing potentially dangerous toxins found in British supermarkets. The study found that 95% of strawberries contained PFAS. Other foods containing toxins include grapes (61%), cherries (56%), spinach (42%), tomatoes (38%) and peaches (38%).

The substance has also been found in smaller proportions of other common products, such as potatoes and apples tested by the Expert Committee on Pesticide Residues in Food, which contained 2% of the substance. Daily Mail

PFAS stands for perfluoroalkyl substances and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a large family of substances consisting of more than 10,000 chemicals. It is widely used in pesticides and household products such as non-stick pans, clothing, cosmetics, food packaging and fire extinguisher foam.

Nick Mole of the UK Pesticide Action Network (Pan UK) said: "Given the growing evidence that PFAS is linked to serious diseases such as cancer, it is deeply worrying that British consumers have no choice but to ingest these chemicals." This substance may remain in their bodies for a long time to come and cannot be metabolized.

"With some plastic food packaging also contaminated with PFAS, and PFAS also present in UK drinking water and soil, we urgently need to better understand the health risks of ingesting these "forever chemicals" and do everything we can to exclude them."

According to reports, traces of these chemicals have been found in most water sources. Another study conducted by the University of New South Wales found that 69% of groundwater samples worldwide contained PFAS levels above safe limits, but small amounts are considered safe.

Last year, the World Health Organization also declared PFOA (a type of PFAS) a class 1 carcinogen. Exposure to these toxins during childhood is particularly concerning because they have been linked to developmental delays, behavioral changes and accelerated puberty.

Dr. Shubhi Sharma of the CHEM Trust charity said: "PFAS are a group of completely man-made chemicals that did not exist on Earth a century ago and have now contaminated every corner. No one wants to be exposed to these harmful chemicals, but we have no choice and now we have to live with this toxic legacy for decades to come."

"The least we can do is stop adding to this toxic burden by banning the use of PFAS."

With the development of science and technology, a large number of man-made chemicals have emerged. While facilitating people's lives, they have also unknowingly brought threats to the environment and health. Under the problem that cannot be completely eliminated, what people can do is perhaps to try to survive in an increasingly difficult environment...