980 organic produce vegetables
Chemicals often associated with plastic water bottles and similar food containers might be getting into our diets in a surprising way, according to a University of Washington study. (AP Photo/file)

University of Washington study finds surprising risk in even fresh, organic diet

BY Tim Haeck  on February 27, 2013 @ 11:45 am (Updated: 12:23 pm - 2/27/13 )

Chemicals often associated with plastic water bottles and similar food containers might be getting into our diets in a surprising way. A study conducted by the University of Washington found that the chemicals are getting into our bodies through the food system.

Researchers compared two groups of families. One group was advised through brochures about how to avoid exposure to phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA). The other group was fed a catered diet of local, fresh organic food. Later, urinary testing revealed that both groups showed high levels of the chemicals in their systems.

"We expected to find that in the catered diet group we would have much lower exposure concentrations but what we found was actually the opposite," said UW pediatric environmental health specialist Dr. Sheela Sathyanarayana.

Findings of the study are published Feb. 27 in the Nature Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiloogy.

"What this study tells us, along with a lot of other literature is that diet is really one of the biggest sources of exposure and contamination can occur much farther upstream [in the food chain] than anything we can control," said Sathyanarayana.

The exact source of the chemicals is not clear.

"If I had to speculate, I would think it has something to do with the plastics that are used when the food is actually created. Phthalates are in high concentrations in flexible plastics like vinyl tubing and I think that it must come into the process somewhere upstream," she said.

Children are particularly susceptible to exposure to the chemicals and that was reflected in the study results.

"All of the individuals had high concentrations when they were eating the diet but children much more than the adults and I think that's because they were taking in a lot more milk and dairy products, which are high in animal fats," said Dr. Sathyanarayana.

Previous studies have linked the pre-natal exposure to phthalates to abnormalities in the male reproductive system to hyperactivity, anxiety and depression in girls.

Sathyanarayana suspects it might take new federal regulations to reduce exposure to these chemicals.

Tim Haeck, KIRO Radio Reporter
Tim Haeck is a news reporter with KIRO Radio. While Tim is one of our go-to, no-nonsense reporters, he also has a sensationally dry sense of humor and it will surprise some to learn he is a weekend warrior.
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Comments (10)


  • Add A Comment

  • doubleogordo wrote...
    Pthalates = no good.
    February 27, 2013 12:05 pm
    These wonderful EDC's are everywhere. Every piece of flexible plastic and fragranced product. Which is pretty much means everyone has intimate contact with them everyday. Yay!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Padre wrote...
    Wait a tic...
    February 27, 2013 2:01 pm
    There's some key information and many unanswered questions here before any conclusions can be drawn and regulations instituted, but one thing strikes me as particularly ironic: When coupled with other research that shows there are few if any health benefits to eating "organic food", the conclusion of the UDub study is that it that eating "organics" is also no safer, too. Ultimate conclusion: Score one for the marketers who market "organics" to the granola/hippy/earthy demographic and pry money out of their wallets! Ha!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • circuitfr wrote...
    Padre...
    February 27, 2013 5:51 pm
    OK....you go on eating your hungry man dinners everynight, and I'll stick with my own home garden which I can in stainless steel pressure cooker and glass jars. I'm pretty sure I'm below the average for plastic chemicals. The problem is if you buy organic food and then store it in plastic tupperware and microwave it, it does you no good. Also, most people use tons of products every day in plastics. Hair Sprays, toothpastes, etc...etc..get the idea? Not much you can't touch without it being plastic. You don't have to be a loon, but just do simple stuff to reduce your exposure. If you honestly think organic isn't better for you, good for you. There is more to dietary health than BPA.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • daveismenotyou wrote...
    And you will continue to be a dork
    February 27, 2013 6:45 pm
    with your stupid "organic" diet. Do you ever look in the mirror and realize what a freak you are?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • roomtemp wrote...
    @circuitfr...
    February 27, 2013 9:51 pm
    I'm right there with ya on eating decent food and keeping the chemicals to the absolute minimum possible. Just starting to get into canning myself (I'm way late on that). But I've been growing veggies for years and grew up on home grown/home canned veggies from the grandfolks. I can taste and feel the difference between good food and processed garbage. It's getting to the point where I don't like eating something unless I know exactly whats in it and how it was prepared.

    People can laugh and call us all the names they want to. I don't care. I've been at the same weight for 25 years and have zero health problems. I rarely get sick, and the flu bugs that wipe other people out for two weeks I'm over in 2-3 days. Who's laughing now?

    The latest thing I've been made aware of is ADA (azodicarbonamide) in bread products. I have a bread machine and I use it, but sometimes I get lazy and buy a loaf, or hamburger buns, etc. Looks like I'll have to scratch that off the grocery list too. 95% of the store bought bread labels I looked at had it, except a few artisan breads that were $6.50 a loaf. I can make bread with whole wheat, flax, quinoa, and chia for a fraction of that.

    "The principal use of ADA is in the making a foamed plastic. When ADA is heated to a certain temp, it results in the evolution of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and ammonia gases. The most common applications of ADA are in gaskets around window and door frames, shoe soles and padded floor mats."

    I'll take a pass on the plastic foaming ingredients in my bread and save it for shoe soles, thanks. Anyone with respiratory problems like asthma should take notice.

    "It has been discovered that this substance creates a respiratory sensitivity and the UK has determined ADA as a possible cause of asthma so they are requiring labeling of anything containing ADA. The Food and Drug Administration in the US is trailing behind most other countries in any awareness of the negative impacts of ADA."

    Cool huh?

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • shark75 wrote...
    Scare of the decade...
    February 27, 2013 2:07 pm
    NEXT!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • circuitfr wrote...
    I was just thinking
    February 27, 2013 5:53 pm
    what an idiotic study...right? Why wouldn't they just test the organic products for chemical contents? Seems to me that would be a lot easier. Figure out if it's one source of fruits or vegetables....How reliable can a study be if they feed it to someone and then test their urine....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ChartryC wrote...
    oh no
    February 27, 2013 5:54 pm
    AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What are we gonna do, call the Government , call the tree huggers, we are all gonna die!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The world is gonna come to an end. those plastic bags are gonna kill fish and turtles. Now gonna kill you!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rangerhawk wrote...
    Once the Liberal Apocalypse is over
    February 27, 2013 11:06 pm
    I'll start worrying about this.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    We just found the reason that people vote for Liberals.
    February 28, 2013 3:15 am
    This stuff can rot your brain and turn you into a Libtard Zombie.

    Koolaid comes in PLASTIC containers!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }