The 3 most toxic chemicals found in our food and water
Industry Buzz
Industrial releases contaminate water and soil, crops and livestock can be exposed through irrigation water or feed, fish accumulate PFAS from contaminated water, and food-contact materials can contribute in some settings.
—Don Thushara Galbadage, PhD, MD
There are a number of harmful chemicals that contaminate our food and water.
A new report, published in Nature Microbiology, found that many of them negatively affect the microorganisms in our gut that play a crucial role in bodily functions, including the immune system and digestion. []
Below are three of the most alarming chemicals that wind up in the foods we eat.
1. Forever chemicals
Also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), forever chemicals are widely used and break down very slowly. They’ve been detected in our water, fish, soil, and air. []
Though scientists are racing to understand how PFAS impact human health, growing evidence has linked them to decreased fertility, certain cancers, impaired immune function, obesity, and developmental issues in children. []
“When the immune system becomes taxed, we are at higher risk for developing chronic diseases such as cancer,” says Jessica Varghese, PhD, an associate professor of nursing at New York Institute of Technology.
Don Thushara Galbadage, PhD, MD, a public health professor at Texas Christian University whose research focuses on microbiology and infectious disease pathogenesis, says forever chemicals infiltrate our food and water in multiple ways.
“Industrial releases contaminate water and soil, crops and livestock can be exposed through irrigation water or feed, fish accumulate PFAS from contaminated water, and food-contact materials can contribute in some settings,” he says.
Related: Childhood obesity: Are forever chemicals to blame?2. Organophosphate pesticides
Next up are a type of insecticide designed to disrupt the nervous systems in insects. They’re used to treat crops—often spreading into our fruits, vegetables, and grains, and are sometimes found in nearby bodies of water, according to Dr. Galbadage.
Dr. Varghese concurs: “When these are applied to crops, their residue stays on the food and can also get into the water supply.”
At high doses, organophosphate pesticides can be neurotoxic. They’re especially dangerous for children. “Prenatal and early-life exposures are most strongly linked to neurodevelopmental harm in the broader organophosphate literature,” says Dr. Galbadage.
As with other harmful chemicals, these pesticides get into our food in various ways: They’re directly applied to crops, they’re in the runoff from nearby surface water, and they appear in residues that stick to foods during the harvest and preparation processes, notes Dr. Galbadage.
3. Toxic metals
Last on the list are metals like lead and inorganic arsenic. They come from contaminated soil and irrigation water. They may also seep out of complex supply chains.
Every now and then, they’ll be detected in rice and rice-based products (including cereals), as well as in spices and processed foods made in factories where lead exposure has been a recurring concern, notes Dr. Galbadage.
As for the health effects? Dr. Galbadage makes it clear: “For arsenic, long-term exposure is linked to cancer and other chronic effects. For lead, there is no known safe level for children—neurodevelopment is the central concern.”