Research: Detecting harmful industrial plastic chemicals in American fast food

A recent study found that more than 80% of fast foods popular at fast food joints in the United States contain chemicals harmful to human health such as phthalates and other industrial plastic ingredients.

The new study was published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology in late October.

George Washington University researcher Lariah Edwards, professor Ami Zota and colleagues purchased 64 fast food items in San Antonio, from the popular burger chains McDonald's and Burger King; the pizza chain Pizza Hut and Domino's; Tex-Mex Mexican restaurant chains Taco Bell and Chipotle.

The researchers analyzed 11 potentially harmful chemicals on food and glove samples. The results found a number of chemicals, including phthalates, that are known to be harmful to human health. These are the most common plasticizers in the plastic industry and are widely used in plastic products.

Plastic packaging can introduce chemicals into your food.

From research:

• 81% of food samples contained a phthalate called DnBP and 70% of samples contained a phthalate called DEHP. Many studies have shown that these 2 chemicals are linked to health problems, including disorders of the human endocrine system, reproductive and metabolic problems; affect children's learning ability, concentration and behavior disorder. Phthalates have been banned for use in toys and other products, but they are still commonly used to make soft things like rubber gloves, industrial hoses or food conveyor belts.
• 86% of food samples contained a plasticizer called DEHT. The impact of this chemical on human health is currently unclear and requires further research.
• Meat-containing foods have a higher chemical content than other foods.
• Chicken and cheese sandwiches have the highest DEHT content. Food handling gloves collected from the same restaurant where these fast foods were purchased also contained this chemical.
• Cheese pizza has the lowest chemically tested of all fast foods.

'We found that phthalates and other plasticizers are commonly found in foods sold by US fast food chains. This finding means that many consumers will be ingesting potentially unhealthy chemicals in their meals," said lead author Edwards.

Earlier, in a national survey of fast food consumption, a team led by Zota, professor of environment and occupational health at the Milken Institute's School of Public Health, found that People who eat a lot of fast food have higher levels of phthalates.

In previous studies, they also found that people who often cook at home have lower levels of this chemical in their bodies, possibly because cooking at home doesn't require the use of food handling gloves or plastic bag. Food sold by fast food chains has undergone processing and packaging and has a high chance of being exposed to plasticizers such as phthalates.

According to the Washington Post, none of the six restaurant chains responded to media requests for comment.

Larry Lynch, Senior Vice President of Science and Industry for the National Restaurant Association, which represents the restaurants involved, said the food supply chain for restaurants is very long and has many links. During this process the food material will come into contact with the plastic and packaging. All parties should work closely to ensure compliance with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines and related regulations.

The FDA, the agency responsible for overseeing food safety, currently has no relevant legislation limiting the content of phthalates in food. The FDA said in a statement that it will carefully review the George Washington University study and use it as scientific evidence.

'While the FDA has high safety standards, as new scientific discoveries emerge, we will reevaluate our safety standards.' An FDA spokesperson said.