Protecting families from contaminated food and water
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Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in Food Policy,Food Safety,Our Blog on July 12, 2024
A recent Consumer Reports study brings information about forever chemicals found in milk to the public. Even organic products! And it is an eye opener!
The significant health impact of PFAS, or forever chemicals, circulating in our food supply has prompted many groups, including Consumer Reports, to look into this scary phenomenon.
The awareness of forever chemicals found in milk and other products, as well as their effects on humans and animals was brought to public attention in late 2016.
A dairy farmer, Fred Stone, from Arundel, Maine discovered that water on his farm contained high levels of PFAS. The source was later determined to be recycled sewage sludge.
For years, he and other farmers were told this was a safe fertilizer.
Unfortunately, this “safe fertilizer” is full of PFAS that are linked to significant health problems.
This caused contamination of his cows and their milk, as well as his own body.
The land passed down through three generations and his focus for over a century was now toxic.
Another New Mexico farmer found that firefighting foam from a nearby Air Force base leached PFAS into his well water. The farm had to close.
The state of Michigan shut down a cattle farm because the fertilizer it obtained from a wastewater treatment plant contaminated the cows’ feed, making the land toxic.
And more recently, two ranches in Texas used fertilizer contaminated with PFAS. It killed their livestock and sickened the farmers too.
These snapshots are the stories that made the news. Countless other farms across the country are undoubtedly dealing with the same situation.
But what exactly are forever chemicals, and how bad are they?
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS or forever chemicals debuted in the 1940’s. Fire extinguishing foam, chrome plating, non-stick cookware, cleaning products, clothing, paints, and even cosmetics and haircare products contain these forever chemicals.
Why are they called forever chemicals?
These PFAS are called forever chemicals because they can remain for thousands of years. They do not break down or go away. Once produced, they are here to stay.
While an image of a growing trash pile may come to mind, the problem is much worse!
You can’t see these forever chemicals. In fact, they can make their way into your body, or organs, and your cells.
Studies have shown significant impact on the human body, particularly the growing body, when exposed to these forever chemicals.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), current peer-reviewed scientific studies have shown that exposure to these forever chemicals can lead to:
It is the effects on children that prompted the Consumer Reports study on milk.
Milk is a huge part of a child’s diet.
The American Academy of Pediatrics indicates that babies should begin drinking cow’s milk at age 1. The Department of Agriculture even suggests that children and teens should have 24 ounces of dairy each day to obtain the vitamins, nutrients, and calcium needed to help the body grow.
Despite the amount of milk kids are encouraged to drink, there is a huge gap in knowledge about the impact of forever chemicals found in milk as well as a lack of tolerances for how much PFAS should be allowed in milk. Or any food for that matter.
So far, the only “food” item with an allowable limit was applied to drinking water.
Europe, on the other hand, is ahead of the game on their attempt at keeping PFAS out of the food supply.
The European Commission recommends an investigation into the source of contamination if more than 10 parts per trillion PFOA or 20 parts per trillion PFOS are discovered in samples.
Consumer Reports laboratories tested 50 milk samples from five states that have known PFAS groundwater contamination. These included California, Michigan, New Jersey, Texas, and Virginia.
Five leading brands were selected. Great Value (Walmart store brand), Horizon, Kirkland (Costco store brand), Organic Valley, and 365 Whole Foods Market (Whole Foods Market store brand).
Both plastic jugs and paper cartons were selected.
While milk samples were analyzed for 16 different PFAS, the most concerning results were the six samples testing positive for PFOA and PFOS – the two most commonly linked to harmful health effects.
According to the results, there was “PFOA in five samples purchased in California and Viginia, including Organic Valley Grassmilk and nonorganic products from 365 Whole Foods, Great Value, and Kirkland Signature.” PFOS was found in one Organic Valley Grassmilk product from Michigan.
How much PFAS did the study uncover? The results were startling.
The worst offender was Kirkland Signature milk purchased in California that tested at 84 parts per trillion PFOA. Also from California, 365 Whole Foods milk contained 60 parts per trillion PFOA.
The other four samples fell around 20 to 50 parts per trillion.
Both Horizon Organic and Horizon Organic Grassfed milk did not have detected levels of PFOA or PFOS.
Could this be an isolated issue? Or is the problem more widely spread?
“At this point, it’s hard to know,” says James Rogers, PhD, head of food safety testing at Consumer Reports. “Without testing data that tells us where and how much PFAS the animals are being exposed to, we do not know.”
While this does not mean that people should stop drinking milk, it highlights the gaps in how federal food safety agencies and food manufacturers monitor milk and other food for these harmful chemicals, says Rogers.
If you’d like to know more about food safety topics in the news, like Consumer Reports Study Finds Forever Chemicals in Milk, check out the Make Food Safe Blog. We regularly update trending topics, foodborne infections in the news, recalls, and more! Stay tuned for quality information to help keep your family safe, while The Lange Law Firm, PLLC strives to Make Food Safe!
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)