Top 10 reasons to buy organic1.) Protect future generations - not2.) Prevent soil erosion -not3.) Protect water quality -maybe4.) Save energy – maybe5.) Keep chemicals off your plate - not6.) Protect farms worker -maybe7.) Help small farmers - maybe8.) Support a true economy – probably not9.) Promote biodiversity- not10.) Better quality –relative to what11. Animal welfare -maybe12. Sense of control -yes13. Sense of community -yes

In the case of “Big Ag” organic, I would say that 3,4,7,8,11 become “not”.

Also covered:RegulationLabeling“Natural”

Organic Food, should you join The rebellion ? • the chicken factory

Today’s Class:Additives, Pesticides, and Natural

ToxicantsMAIN POINTS:• What is a natural flavor?• What is an “additive”?• How are additives treated legally?• Sources and types of “toxins”• How are “natural toxicants” treated under

the law?

ADDITIVESThere are about 3,000 approved food

additives

1958 Amendments to FD&C (Food Drug and Cosmetic) Act

“THE ACT”• Regulates any substance..which becomes a component of

food, *if* not generally recognized as safe (by experts) or in use prior to Jan 1, 1958.

• GRAS = Generally Recognized as SafeGRAS = Generally Recognized as Safe• The Act excludes spices, smoke derivatives• GRAS concept, ways to gain GRAS status

– Grand-fathered– FDA GRAS-affirmation (Flavors- Flavor Extract Manufacturers

Association)– Self-affirmation

Other additive requirements

• Intentional additive must “work”• Cannot be deceptive or conceal defects• Cannot reduce nutritional value• Cannot substitute for Good Manufacturing

Practices (GMPs) (canning example)• Must have method of analysis

The FD&C Act also brought us

THE DELANY CLAUSE“No additive shall be deemed safe if it is found to induce cancer in humans or animals when

ingested in any amount.”in any amount.”

Many compounds naturally occurring in food cannot meet this test.Remember furfural in bread? Aflatoxins in peanut butter?DELANY reflects a 1958 understanding of carcinogens

Types of Food Additives

Antioxidants

• Lipid oxidation gives rise to rancidity, off flavors, off odors, and free radicals

• Anything that can be oxidized (Vit E, C) can serve as antioxidant

• Can also exclude oxygen, use oxygen impermeable packaging.

• BHA, BHT

Preservatives

• Salt• Organic acids

– Benzoates– Acetic, Citric, Lactic

• Sulfur dioxide• Nitrite

Other additives

• Flavors, “natural flavor” from yeast• Natural flavors are defined (see next slide) • Flavor enhancers (MSG) , can be “natural”• Acidulants (natural or synthetic)• Sweeteners (ingredient)• Gums, thickeners and stabilizers• Surfactants• Nutrients (vitamins and minerals)• Emulsifiers• Enzymes• Chelators (EDTA) (Metals accelerate degradative

reactions)

The definition of natural flavorings & flavors from Title 21, Section 101, part 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations: "The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional."

Toxins in Food

Mother nature can be...

…well, a real “mother.”

“Human intake of nature’s pesticides is about 10,000 times

higher than human intake of synthetic pesticides that are rodent

carcinogens.”-American Council on Science and Health.

Three sources of toxins in food

• Endogenous toxins (part of the food)• Naturally occurring toxins (made naturally on the

food) (aflatoxin)• Synthetic toxins

Risk Assessment = Dose response + Exposure Assessment

Dose response: Threshold or no Threshold?

Toxicology- Dose response is the big question for synthetic chemicals

Risk Assessment = Dose Response + Exposure Assessment

Dose response: Threshold or no Threshold?(Relationship to Delany? Toxins v carcinogens)

Dose

Response

ENDOGENOUS TOXINSNaturally toxic chemicals in plants

• Hemaggultinins – castor and soy beans “ricin”• Cyanogens- cassava, beans• Phytoalexins – potato• Safarole – sassafras, black pepper• Nitrites – celery, dark green vegetables• Cyanide – apricot pits

“Solely the dose determines that a thing is … a poison”

Parcelis, 16th century(i.e. “The dose makes the poison.”)

Myristicin in carrots is a halluncinogen> 400 mg required

*Carrots contain 0.6 ug/kgYou need to consume ~ 667 kg

(> 1,000 pounds) to reach the effective dose*Mutmeg also contains myristicin, and a few

tablespoons can get you high (or sick)

NATURALLY OCCURING TOXINS Fungal Toxicants

Ochratoxin Cereal grains Kidney

Patulin

50 ppb

Apple products Kidney

Alimentary toxic alukia

Cereal grains Bone marrow

80% fatality

Zeraralenone Corn, wheat Hyper-estro-genisms

Ergot alkaloids- associated with rye, delusions and hallucinations

Aflatoxin – corn and peanuts

15 ppb ok (legally)

Marine ToxinsFUGU FISH One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue FishHomer à manger du Fugu, un poisson mortel, dans un restaurant japonais. Il ne lui reste plus alors que 24 heures à vivre.

                   

         

Saxitoxin – clams, paralytic shell-fish poisoning, red tideDomoic Acid - muscles

Bioaccumulation

Animal Testing

Animal Testing

“Animal foods tested on humans”

Chemicals in the environment

• Pesticides – act against insects-Organochlorides – persist (DDT)-Organophosphates – degrade

• Herbicides – act against weeds• Integrated Pest Management• Use of Pesticides and Herbicides has

decreased 50% since 1980

Pesticides

• 300 active ingredient• 10,000 uses• 1.2 billion pounds• ~ 8 lbs/ person

(applied)

• $20 billion crops destroyed (w/ pesticides)

• Fungicides prevent aflatoxin

• Increase yield, decrease crop losses

• Regulated by EPA, USDA, FDA

Many arguments for and against pesticides-impact of genetic engineering

Pesticide Testing (is limited)

• No detectable pesticides in 60% of conventional produce

Pesticide Testing (is limited)

• No detectable pesticides in 60% of conventional produce

• Pesticides are detected in 40% of produce

Pesticide Testing (is limited)• No detectable pesticides in 60% of conventional produce• Pesticides are detected in 40% of produce• In 39%, detection is at less than one-

tenth of tolerance level (which has 100-fold safety factor)

• Only 1 % of produce tested has pesticides in excess of tolerance

• Wash with warm soapy water

Other nasty beasties

• Carcinogens in smoked foods• Pyrolysis products• PCBs – chloroacne, headache, numbness

“The hypothetical risk posed by food additives is greatly exceeded by the very real risk posed by not eating.”

Enjoy your food.

-Prof. Don Schaffner,

Rutgers University