Fire Retardants Found in Peanut Butter, Other Fatty Foods, yet no specific disclosure

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

I haven't seen this posted anywhere... There are several sources, but I picked this one for a particular reason.


In a new study of popular products purchased from grocery stores in Dallas, Texas, researchers found that nearly half of the sampled peanut butter and cold cuts, as well as turkey, fish, beef and other fatty foods, contained traces of a flame retardant commonly used in the foam insulation of building walls.

"This is not good news. Here's yet another toxic chemical that can be found in many of the foods we buy at our supermarkets," said Dr. Arnold Schecter of the University of Texas School of Public Health and an author of the study published on Thursday. "Food does not need to have flame retardants."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/31/fire-retardants-food-peanut-butter-meat_n_1559062.html


Now what really bothers me is this...




The study did not specify which particular brands were tested...

If they really think this chemical is dangerous, it sounds extremely unethical to not share where they found it.



but Schecter noted that all were "conventional" brands and not brands that market themselves as organic.

Which doesn't mean organics don't contain it... might contain more for all we know... just that they weren't tested.




The chemical industry, however, offers a different interpretation of the new study. "Based on these findings, the real story is that HBCD was not detected in the majority of the samples..."

Once again, that makes it sound extremely unethical for the people conducting the study to not mention where they found them.

[Warrior_of_Freedom]

How comes every time there's some "toxin" in our food, this is always mentioned:
may disrupt the proper function of human hormones and reproduction.
may disrupt the proper function of human hormones and reproduction.
may disrupt the proper function of human hormones and reproduction.
may disrupt the proper function of human hormones and reproduction.
may disrupt the proper function of human hormones and reproduction.

NOT A CONSPIRACY

[Kluge]

I loathe this type of argument.

Hydrogen peroxide is a rocket fuel. It is also a disinfectant used on cuts and to disinfect things like toothbrushes.

OMG! YOU'RE PUTTING ROCKET FUEL IN YOUR MOUTH! YOU'RE GONNA DIE!

(There's thousands of other examples FWIW.)

Granted, peanut butter should probably shouldn't have HBCD in it, but my reaction to this stupid type of argument is just to roll my eyes.

[Warrior_of_Freedom]

Granted, peanut butter should probably shouldn't have HBCD in it, but my reaction to this stupid type of argument is just to roll my eyes.
Why? I see the opposite. I see a company saying "Oh, it's only a little bit of toxins, it's not going to hurt you."

[Kluge]

Why? I see the opposite. I see a company saying "Oh, it's only a little bit of toxins, it's not going to hurt you."

Just because a chemical has other applications does NOT mean it's a toxin. In this case it may be, but that's not because it's used in fire retardants, it's because it's a toxin--do you see what I mean? I thought I made it reasonably clear.

There are chemicals in everything, chemicals are not "evil" because they can be used in multiple applications.

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

Just because a chemical has other applications does NOT mean it's a toxin. In this case it may be, but that's not because it's used in fire retardants, it's because it's a toxin--do you see what I mean? I thought I made it reasonably clear.

There are chemicals in everything, chemicals are not "evil" because they can be used in multiple applications.


But why run a study looking for them, and then refuse to say where you found them?

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

Just because a chemical has other applications does NOT mean it's a toxin. In this case it may be, but that's not because it's used in fire retardants, it's because it's a toxin--do you see what I mean? I thought I made it reasonably clear.


I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not making that argument. Read this study...

http://www.nicnas.gov.au/Consultations/Draft_Overview_Recommendations_HBCD_PDF.pdf

It talks about toxicity in rats, which is bothersome. I don't really care what else it is used for.

[specsaregood]

But why run a study looking for them, and then refuse to say where you found them?

because they were afraid of being sued?
Or they just wanted to sucker everybody into buying only organic forms of those products?
Or it is tough to prove their results incorrect if you dont' know which actual products they tested?

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

because they were afraid of being sued?
Or they just wanted to sucker everybody into buying only organic forms of those products?

That would certainly be suckering since they didn't test organic products. That itself sounds like a dumb idea, if you are interested in figuring out how the chemical gets into the products. As far as being sued, they'd have to not trust their results, since suing them for telling the truth would be tough. (and probably a horrible PR move if the media didn't come down on the corporate side.)


Or it is tough to prove their results incorrect if you dont' know which actual products they tested?

That is certainly true. You can't prove their results anything.

[ghengis86]

I loathe this type of argument.

Hydrogen peroxide is a rocket fuel. It is also a disinfectant used on cuts and to disinfect things like toothbrushes.

OMG! YOU'RE PUTTING ROCKET FUEL IN YOUR MOUTH! YOU'RE GONNA DIE!

(There's thousands of other examples FWIW.)

Granted, peanut butter should probably shouldn't have HBCD in it, but my reaction to this stupid type of argument is just to roll my eyes.

I used to be a senior chemist with an R&D lab; I fully support this post.

Yes, we should be aware of what is in our food. But as detection limits are pushed (ppb is now the standard ppm used to be; ppt as in trillion is coming), you're going to find certains compounds in anything you test.

Again, being informed is good; obeing overly reactionary to something that is made to sound scary, on a subject with little native understanding is not so good.

I think it's the discerning mind of the people here that is so appealing. We shouldn't take anything at face value, even if it fits well in our views of the world. Selection bias is a bitch!

[MelissaWV]

because they were afraid of being sued?
Or they just wanted to sucker everybody into buying only organic forms of those products?
Or it is tough to prove their results incorrect if you dont' know which actual products they tested?

You beat me to it.

If this was a huge concern, they would be testing organic food as well (it might even help isolate the cause of why some produce shows higher or lower levels). There are few specifics on the study itself, which always makes me suspicious. It's like surveys and polls that do not list the demographics and methodology.

[MelissaWV]

Oh and there's silly putty in those McD's fries :p

[donnay]

Bromate is a chemical compound that contains Bromine which is commonly used as a fire retardant. It wrecks your thyroid!!

Bromide Dominance – A National Health Crisis Part 2of2
http://selfhealthresourcecenter.info/newsletter-archive/bromide-dominance-%E2%80%93-a-national-health-crisis-part-2of2/

Potassium Bromate in Bread

Potassium bromate, an additive included in many commercial bread and baked goods, provides the most devastating contribution to bromide overload in Western cultures. Bromated flour is a product “enriched” with potassium bromate.

Many commercial bakers use bromated flour because it yields dependable results, and because it makes more elastic dough, which can stand up to bread hooks and other commercial baking tools.

In the 1960′s, a single slice of bread in the USA contained the full RDA of 0.15 mg iodine. The risk for breast cancer was then 1 in 20. Over the last several decades, iodine was largely replaced by bromine in the form of potassium bromate in the bread making process.

Bromine blocks thyroid function and interferes with the anticancer effect of iodine. Today, the risk for breast cancer is 1 in 8 and increasing by one percent each year.
Bromide in Bread Banned in UK and Canada

In 1990 the UK banned bromate in bread. Canada followed suite in 1994. The United States has yet to take a similar action in this important matter.
Bromide in Drinking Water

When drinking water containing bromide is exposed to ozone, bromate ion, a powerful oxidizing agent, is formed. Two significant recalls of drinking water involving bromate have occurred: 1) Wegmann’s Food You Feel Good About Spring Water in 2006; and 2) Coca-Cola’s Dasani in 2004.

Toothpaste and Mouthwash

Potassium bromate is used as an antiseptic and astringent in toothpaste and mouthwash. This highly toxic substance may cause bleeding and inflammation of gums.

Flame Retardants

Bromated flame retardants reduce the flammability of a wide variety of commercial and household products. Unfortunately the bromide used in some home retardants does not stay put. Instead, it finds its way into the environment and into the human body.

Personal Care Products and Cosmetics

Sodium bromate is ubiquitous in permanent wave neutralizers, hair dyes and textile dyes, and many other cosmetic and home care products.

Effects of Elevated Bromide Levels

Elevated bromide levels have a deleterious effect on human organs, specifically the thyroid and kidneys, and skin. Bromide exposure is also related to renal failure and, perhaps most tragically, to mental aberrations.

Thyroid

Elevated bromide levels have been implicated in every thyroid disease, from simple hypothyroidism to auto-immune diseases to thyroid cancer.

Kidneys

The ability of bromate to cause cancer, especially kidney cancer, is a significant health concern.

Skin

Prolonged exposure to bromide or bromide related products may cause lesions on the face and scalp, as well as open sores on the trunk and extremities.

Hearing Loss

Potassium bromate, the popular bread additive, is known to cause renal damage and permanent deafness in animals and man. The lower frequency range is most often affected.

Mental Aberrations

Psychiatry literature abounds with cases of elevated bromide levels implicated in mental conditions ranging from depression to schizophrenia.

Serious Questions

If iodine deficiency is the underlying cause of many diseases, is bromide “the underlying cause of the underlying cause?”

Because iodine was not supplemented much before the last three years, few physicians have had a chance to look closely at the occasional symptoms which arise from iodine supplementation (still called “iodism”) and raise questions.

Might the historical observation of iodism be due principally to massive amounts of stored bromine leaving the tissues and entering the bloodstream?

Is it possible that the apparent adverse effects of iodine are due almost exclusively due to bromide excretion, and that consequently not enough iodine-alone effects can be documented to qualify as an “ism”?

And finally, might the iodism phenomenon be more appropriately called “bromism”?

FDA’s Evasive Answer

Back in 1999, the Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned the FDA to prohibit the use of potassium bromate, charging that the FDA has known for years that bromate causes cancer in lab animals, but has failed to ban it. In September, 2007, the US FDA responded to Breast Cancer Choices inquiry with the statement, “Potassium Bromate is still listed as a safe additive.”

References

1) Ghent, W., et al, Can. J. Surg., 36:453-460,1993.
2) Eskin, B., et al, Biological Trace Element Research, 49:9-19, 1995.
3) Marine, D., Atl. Med. J., 26:437-442, 1923.
4) Abraham,G.E., The Original Internist, 11:17-36, 2004.
5) Gennaro A.R., Remington: 19th Edition, 1995, Mack Publishing Co, 1267.
6) Abraham, G.E., Flechas, J.D., Hakala, J.C., The Original Internist, 9:30-41, 2002.



Avoiding Bromate in Your Bottled Water
http://ezinearticles.com/?Avoiding-Bromate-in-Your-Bottled-Water&id=1392736

Lugol's, Iodoral, SSKI... Everything You'd Ever Want To Know About Iodine Supplements And Thyroid Health!
http://www.lugol-iodinesupplements.com/

[Chester Copperpot]

good to know about this... ill be on the lookout for bromate in my food products.

[MelissaWV]

This is a good example of what I was saying earlier:


Bromine blocks thyroid function and interferes with the anticancer effect of iodine. Today, the risk for breast cancer is 1 in 8 and increasing by one percent each year.

Bromide in Bread Banned in UK and Canada

In 1990 the UK banned bromate in bread. Canada followed suite in 1994. The United States has yet to take a similar action in this important matter.

Okay, so bromate was banned in the UK over 20 years ago. I am sure that since this chemical is increasing breast cancer rates, the rates have dropped by now in the UK in a measurable way among bread-eating Brits. Curiously, that is not mentioned in the article.

[donnay]

Avoid This If You Want To Keep Your Thyroid Healthy
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/thyroid-health_b_472953.html

If you are like most people, you probably haven't spent much time thinking about how much bromine you're absorbing from your car upholstery or your Mountain Dew. But bromine toxicity is a definite danger from some surprising sources, and it can wreak havoc on your health.

Bromines All Around You

Bromines are common endocrine disruptors, and are part of the halide family, a group of elements that includes fluorine, chlorine and iodine. What makes it so dangerous is that it competes for the same receptors that are used to capture iodine.

If you are exposed to a lot of bromine, your body will not hold on to the iodine that it needs. And iodine affects every tissue in your body -- not just your thyroid.

You are already exposed to far too much chlorine and bromine. Bromine can be found in a number of places in your everyday world, including:

•Pesticides (specifically methyl bromide, used mainly on strawberries, predominantly in California)

•Plastics, like those used to make computers

•Bakery goods and some flours often contain a "dough conditioner" called potassium bromate

•Soft drinks (including Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Sun Drop, Squirt, Fresca and other citrus-flavored sodas), in the form of brominated vegetable oils (BVOs)

•Medications such as Atrovent Inhaler, Atrovent Nasal Spray, Pro-Banthine (for ulcers), and anesthesia agents

•Fire retardants (common one is polybromo diphenyl ethers or PBDEs) used in fabrics, carpets, upholstery, and mattresses

•Bromine-based hot tub and swimming pool treatments

According to van Leeuwen, who has extensively studied the effects of sodium bromide on thyroid function:

"Although the bromide ion is widely distributed in nature, the main route of exposure in humans stems from bromide residues in food commodities as a result of the abundant use of bromide-containing pesticides, like methylbromide and ethylene dibromide, for soil fumigation in intensive horticulture and for postharvest treatment."

One clinical consequence of overexposure to bromine is suppression of your thyroid, leading to hypothyroidism, which will be discussed shortly. Another is bromide toxicity.

Bromine -- The Bully of the Halide Group

When you ingest or absorb bromine, it displaces iodine, and this iodine deficiency leads to an increased risk for cancer of the breast, thyroid gland, ovary and prostate -- cancers that we see at alarmingly high rates today. This phenomenon is significant enough to have been given its own name -- the Bromide Dominance Theory.

Aside from its effects on your endocrine glands, bromine is toxic in and of itself. Bromide builds up in your central nervous system and results in many problems. It is a central nervous system depressant and can trigger a number of psychological symptoms such as acute paranoia and other psychotic symptoms.

In fact, in an audio interview, physician Jorge Flechas reported that, between 1920 and 1960, at least 20 percent of all hospital admissions for "acute paranoid schizophrenia" were a result of ingesting bromine-containing products.

In addition to psychiatric problems, bromine toxicity can manifest as the following:

•Skin rashes and severe acne

•Loss of appetite and abdominal pain

•Fatigue

•Metallic taste

•Cardiac arrhythmias

Baby Boomers might recall a popular product from the 1950s called Bromo-Seltzer. These effervescent granules, developed by the Emerson Drug Company of Baltimore, were used to treat heartburn, upset stomach, indigestion, headaches and hangovers.

Bromo-Selzer's original formula contained 3.2 mEq/teaspoon of sodium bromide -- hence the name. The sedative effect probably explained its popularity as a hangover remedy. Bromides were withdrawn from the American market in 1975 due to their toxicity.

Bromo-Selzer is still on the market, but no longer contains bromide.

Bromines in Your Bread Box: Potassium Bromate

The ban on bromines have not prevented them from sneaking into your foods and personal care products.

You probably are not aware of this, but nearly every time you eat bread in a restaurant or consume a hamburger or hotdog bun you are consuming bromide, as it is commonly used in flours.

The use of potassium bromate as an additive to commercial breads and baked goods has been a huge contributor to bromide overload in Western cultures.

Bromated flour is "enriched" with potassium bromate. Commercial baking companies claim it makes the dough more elastic and better able to stand up to bread hooks. However, Pepperidge Farm and other successful companies manage to use only unbromated flour without any of these so-called "structural problems."

Potassium bromate is also found in some toothpastes and mouthwashes, where it's added as an antiseptic and astringent. It has been found to cause bleeding and inflammation of gums in people using these products.

Sodium Bromate and BMOs

Mountain Dew, one of the worst beverages you can drink, uses brominated vegetable oil as an emulsifier. Not only that, it contains high fructose corn syrup, sodium benzoate, more than 55 mg of caffeine per 12 ounce can, and Yellow Dye #5 (tartrazine, which has been banned in Norway, Austria and Germany.)

A weapon of mass destruction -- in a can.

Even drinking water can be a source of bromide. When drinking water containing bromide is exposed to ozone, bromate ions are formed, which are powerful oxidizing agents. Such was the case in 2004 when Coca Cola Company had to recall Dasani bottled water.

Sodium bromate can also be found in personal care products such as permanent waves, hair dyes, and textile dyes. Benzalkonium is used as a preservative in some cosmetics.

Finally, bromine and chlorine were the most common toxic elements reportedly found in automobiles, according to the blog of David Brownstein, MD (March 2007). They showed up in the seats, armrests, door trim, shift knobs and other areas of the car.

Think about how much time you spend enclosed in your outgassing Chevy... windows up with no air circulation.

The United States is quite behind in putting an end to the egregious practice of allowing bromine chemicals in your foods. In 1990, the United Kingdom banned bromate in bread. In 1994, Canada did the same. Brazil recently outlawed bromide in flour products.

What's taking us so long? Another case of our government protecting big industry -- instead of protecting you.

Iodine Levels and Cancer Risk

Iodine levels have significantly dropped due to bromine exposure; declining consumption of iodized salt, eggs, fish, and sea vegetables; and soil depletion. In the U.S. population, there was a 50 percent reduction in urinary iodine excretion between 1970 and 1990.

What's this doing to our country's health?

The Japanese consume 89 times more iodine than Americans due to their daily consumption of sea vegetables, and they have reduced rates of many chronic diseases, including the lowest rates of cancer in the world. The RDA for iodine in the U.S. is a meager 150 mcg/day, which pales in comparison with the average daily intake of 13800 mcg/day for the Japanese.

There is a large body of evidence suggesting that low cancer rates in Japan are a result of their substantially higher iodine levels. Iodine has documented antioxidant and anti-proliferative properties.

A strong case can be made that your iodine RDA should be closer to what the Japanese consume daily, if breast cancer rates are any indication. Low iodine can lead to fibrocystic breast disease in women (density, lumps and bumps), hyperplasia, and atypical mammary tissue. Such fibrocystic changes in breast tissue have been shown to reverse in the presence of iodine supplementation after 3-4 months.

If you are interested in being tested for iodine deficiency, the urine iodine challenge test is the best way to assess your iodine level.

Bromine and Your Thyroid
Adding to the negative health effects of bromine, the damage to your thyroid health deserves special mention.

As stated in the first part of this article, bromine exposure depletes your body's iodine by competing with iodine receptors. Iodine is crucial for thyroid function. Without iodine, your thyroid gland would be completely unable to produce thyroid hormone.

Even the names of the different forms of thyroid hormone reflect the number of iodine molecules attached -- T4 has four attached iodine molecules, and T3 (the biologically active form of the hormone) has three--showing what an important part iodine plays in thyroid biochemistry.

Hypothyroidism is far more prevalent than once thought in the U.S. The latest estimates are that 13 million Americans have hypothyroidism, but the actual numbers are probably higher. Some experts claim that 10 to40 percent of Americans have suboptimal thyroid function.

Many of these folks may actually have nothing wrong with their thyroid gland at all -- they may just be suffering from iodine deficiency.

Seven Tips for Avoiding Bromine and Optimizing Iodine

Trying to avoid bromine is like trying to avoid air pollution -- all you can do is minimize your exposure. That said, here are a few things you can do to minimize your risk:

1. Eat organic as often as possible. Wash all produce thoroughly. This will minimize your pesticide exposure.

2. Avoid eating or drinking from (or storing food and water in) plastic containers. Use glass and safe ceramic vessels.

3. Look for organic whole-grain breads and flour. Grind you own grain, if possible. Look for the "no bromine" or "bromine-free" label on commercial baked goods.

4. Avoid sodas. Drink natural, filtered water instead.

5. If you own a hot tub, look into an ozone purification system. Such systems make it possible to keep the water clean with minimal chemical treatments.

6. Look for personal care products that are as chemical-free as possible. Remember -- anything going on you, goes in you.

7. When in a car or a building, open windows as often as possible, preferably on opposing sides of the space for cross ventilation. Utilize fans to circulate the air. Chemical pollutants are much higher inside buildings (and cars) than outside.

Avoid Unfermented Soy
Another major contributor to thyroid dysfunction that I did not discuss above is unfermented soy. Soy isoflavones can wreak havoc on your thyroid.

Kaayla Daniel's groundbreaking book, The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food is a powerful exposé that reveals the truth about the soy myths that have infiltrated our culture.

It's ironic that soy has become so accepted as a health food when, as Dr. Daniel states, thousands of studies link soy to malnutrition, digestive distress, immune-system breakdown, thyroid- and hormonal dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders and infertility--even cancer and heart disease.

So if you want to keep your thyroid healthy, you'll definitely want to avoid unfermented soy products of all kinds, including soy milk.

Dr. Joseph Mercola is the founder and director of Mercola.com. Become a fan of Dr. Mercola on Facebook, on Twitter and check out Dr. Mercola's report on sun exposure!


Follow Dr. Joseph Mercola on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mercola

[donnay]

This is a good example of what I was saying earlier:


Okay, so bromate was banned in the UK over 20 years ago. I am sure that since this chemical is increasing breast cancer rates, the rates have dropped by now in the UK in a measurable way among bread-eating Brits. Curiously, that is not mentioned in the article.

Iodine deficiencies in the UK
http://www.nleducation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/iodine.pdf

[Kluge]

I used to be a senior chemist with an R&D lab; I fully support this post.

Yes, we should be aware of what is in our food. But as detection limits are pushed (ppb is now the standard ppm used to be; ppt as in trillion is coming), you're going to find certains compounds in anything you test.

Again, being informed is good; obeing overly reactionary to something that is made to sound scary, on a subject with little native understanding is not so good.

I think it's the discerning mind of the people here that is so appealing. We shouldn't take anything at face value, even if it fits well in our views of the world. Selection bias is a bitch!

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I was going to break down into a sniveling mess if nobody could understand the point I was trying to make.

[Danke]

So if I eat peanut butter with spicy food, my ass won't burn anymore?

[Kluge]

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not making that argument. Read this study...

http://www.nicnas.gov.au/Consultations/Draft_Overview_Recommendations_HBCD_PDF.pdf

It talks about toxicity in rats, which is bothersome. I don't really care what else it is used for.

Why not post that article in the OP if that was your argument? If you bought into the fearmongering style of Huffington Post, it's okay, many people do--but just know that the OP's initial argument is not scientifically sound. Don't have time now to read the second article you posted, but I'll second Genghis on his mention of PPB/PPT, and relevance to this as well.

[Kluge]

So if I eat peanut butter with spicy food, my ass won't burn anymore?

You should take the lighters away from the hookers you try to stiff, so to speak.

[Lishy]

Maybe this is a scam, since we cannot know which food it is?

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

Why not post that article in the OP if that was your argument? If you bought into the fearmongering style of Huffington Post, it's okay, many people do--but just know that the OP's initial argument is not scientifically sound. Don't have time now to read the second article you posted, but I'll second Genghis on his mention of PPB/PPT, and relevance to this as well.

I made my point clear in the OP. They are asserting that the chemical is dangerous (not simply that is has another use) and then go on to refuse to say where they found it. If they believe it is dangerous, I find it unethical for them not to disclose where they found it.

[tttppp]

This further supports my point that the majority of food you buy at the mainstream supermarkets is garbage. There is no reason for unnecessary chemicals to be in your food.

[Kluge]

I made my point clear in the OP. They are asserting that the chemical is dangerous (not simply that is has another use) and then go on to refuse to say where they found it. If they believe it is dangerous, I find it unethical for them not to disclose where they found it.

Agreed. However, they are using a common fear tactic, and not sound logic in order to drive the point home and score more hits.

The HP article, overall, shouldn't be taken seriously until they stop using such tactics and give full information about findings (such as quantity found, at minimum). No skin off my teeth anyways, I don't eat peanut butter, and probably won't anytime in the near future. Bad balance of fatty acids (that won't change whether organic or not), and they use tons of pesticides on standard-farmed peanuts.

Just stop eating them, or only eat them in very small amounts. After the kid goes to sleep, I might take more of a look into it, just out of curiosity--unless I find something that interests me more.

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

Why not post that article in the OP if that was your argument? If you bought into the fearmongering style of Huffington Post, it's okay, many people do--but just know that the OP's initial argument is not scientifically sound. Don't have time now to read the second article you posted, but I'll second Genghis on his mention of PPB/PPT, and relevance to this as well.


Also, I was posting more info for you since you were busy dismissing it without looking - and YOU clearly missed my point in the OP. I even clearly stated it twice. As far as ghengis's point, I agree. What would constitute a dangerous level is not within my sphere of knowledge.

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

Agreed. However, they are using a common fear tactic, and not sound logic in order to drive the point home and score more hits.

The HP article, overall, shouldn't be taken seriously until they stop using such tactics and give full information about findings (such as quantity found, at minimum).

There were also other articles, but the huffington post article actually contained way more information than the other 4-5 I saw. Believe it or not, the others were probably heavier on scare tactics and lighter on information.

[Kluge]

There were also other articles, but the huffington post article actually contained way more information than the other 4-5 I saw. Believe it or not, the others were probably heavier on scare tactics and lighter on information.

That hardly inspires confidence in the "findings."

Listen, I know you think I'm a bitch for pointing out the obvious, but those fear tactics are in your OP--and you shouldn't have included them if it isn't your point, only what is pertinent and quantifiable. Having a chemical that's in a fire retardant (in your title), is not. Stop getting mad, I'm not hating, I don't think you're stupid--I just wish that people wouldn't post sensationalistic stuff like that. I've done it before on here, and I'll do it again.

If it makes you feel better, I did get -repped and called a "troll," which is fine by me, as I don't mind -rep. I didn't miss your points, I ignored them because you used the same fear tactics as HP used. Big difference.

[Vessol]

So you're saying that if I'm in a fire and there's no escape, I can slap on some Jiffy and escape? Thanks government, you think of everything.

[wrestlingwes_8]

I used to be a senior chemist with an R&D lab; I fully support this post.

Yes, we should be aware of what is in our food. But as detection limits are pushed (ppb is now the standard ppm used to be; ppt as in trillion is coming), you're going to find certains compounds in anything you test.

Again, being informed is good; obeing overly reactionary to something that is made to sound scary, on a subject with little native understanding is not so good.

I think it's the discerning mind of the people here that is so appealing. We shouldn't take anything at face value, even if it fits well in our views of the world. Selection bias is a bitch!

I don't care how small the amounts are, they will still have some kind of effect on the human body. Humans had not been exposed to all these crazy, synthetic chemicals until the start of the 1940s. Since then, scientific research about the possible effects on the human body has been suppressed in the interest of larger profits for CEOs and shareholders. You can't logically sit there and pretend we know everything there is to know about these chemicals. I mean c'mon, we've known about water for our entire existence and we still don't completely understand it. Whenever you add a foreign object to a functioning system, you will see disorder ensue. Why? Because the system was not designed to operate in that fashion. The same applies to the human body; if the chemical cannot be found in the natural world where humans would have came into contact with it, it probably will cause some unforeseen consequences. I'm going to side with Mother Nature on this one, she has way more experience and a much better track record than 'modern science'.

Until man duplicates a blade of grass, nature can laugh at his so-called scientific knowledge.... ~Thomas Edison

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

That hardly inspires confidence in the "findings."

Listen, I know you think I'm a bitch for pointing out the obvious, but those fear tactics are in your OP--and you shouldn't have included them if it isn't your point, only what is pertinent and quantifiable. Having a chemical that's in a fire retardant (in your title), is not. Stop getting mad, I'm not hating, I don't think you're stupid--I just wish that people wouldn't post sensationalistic stuff like that. I've done it before on here, and I'll do it again.

If it makes you feel better, I did get -repped and called a "troll," which is fine by me, as I don't mind -rep. I didn't miss your points, I ignored them because you used the same fear tactics as HP used. Big difference.

I'm not mad, and don't think you're trolling. You aren't getting -repped or called a troll by me. Sure, I could have used a chemical name instead, but imo, saying what the chemical is used for could give people better clues as to how it is showing up in the food supply. As mentioned, I'm also bothered they didn't test organic options too since that might have given future research a head start on that issue.

[Lishy]

In all seriousness, do we know whether that article is even true or not? They're just telling us theories with no evidence.

[teacherone]

So? Don't buy peanut butter.

Thanks free market.

[Kluge]

I'm not mad, and don't think you're trolling. You aren't getting -repped or called a troll by me. Sure, I could have used a chemical name instead, but imo, saying what the chemical is used for could give people better clues as to how it is showing up in the food supply. As mentioned, I'm also bothered they didn't test organic options too since that might have given future research a head start on that issue.

When I was in college, working on some research that got boring, I decided to test bottled waters vs. the city-sourced drinking fountain water--just for the heck of it and I had the AA fired up. Bottled water consistently had more heavy metal content than the city water, at the time. Of course, these bottled waters constantly advertised themselves as "pure" and wonderful in every way, but it's generally bullshit. Off-topic from this convo, but semi-relevant in being skeptical about claims, whether they're from a source you like or not.

It's a stupid "experiment" if they didn't test organic alongside, and do a workup on a peanut...sounds like they didn't have any controls whatsoever. But that's speculation on my part--I can only take two-minute breaks from the kid before she gets involved in her next round of hijinks, so I can't read anything in-depth right now.

[Lishy]

I'm a big peanutbutter lover... Eating it right now. I want to know whether this is actually reliable or not, because I could also claim my ass is the cure for cancer and not provide evidence for it.

It's not that I'm a government shill hating on dissenters or anything, but this is pretty disgraceful for the scientific community!

[Kluge]

I'm a big peanutbutter lover... Eating it right now. I want to know whether this is actually reliable or not, because I could also claim my ass is the cure for cancer and not provide evidence for it.

It's not that I'm a government shill hating on dissenters or anything, but this is pretty disgraceful for the scientific community!

Why not Google it and see what you can come up with? Just wipe the peanut butter off your fingers first, and you're good to go.

[Lishy]

Why not Google it and see what you can come up with? Just wipe the peanut butter off your fingers first, and you're good to go.

I did on duckduckgo, and it's the same unbacked claims.

Please give me evidence.

[Kluge]

I did on duckduckgo, and it's the same unbacked claims.

Please give me evidence.

How shall I give you said evidence? Pull it out of my or someone else's ass? Call Jiffy and Peter Pan and give 'em hell.

[Lishy]

How shall I give you said evidence? Pull it out of my or someone else's ass? Call Jiffy and Peter Pan and give 'em hell.

Which website isn't just making claims, but provides evidence? You told me to google it, so I did. Which website?

[Kluge]

Which website isn't just making claims, but provides evidence? You told me to google it, so I did. Which website?

How about you go read this entire thread?

[Danke]

You should take the lighters away from the hookers you try to stiff, so to speak.

Well, at least they don't "diddle (my) hemorrhoids (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?370203-Justices-Approve-Strip-Searches-for-Any-Offense/page2&p=4336212#post4336212)."

[Lishy]

How about you go read this entire thread?
Been there, done that.

So basically, you don't know whether it is true or not, but you just hope it is due to a perception bias of "contrarian" philosophy? So you just blindly tell people to look at other people's work without researching it on your own?

Or is this just mob mentality, of "following the leader"?

All I'm asking is for the specifics here. I do not have time to waste hours looking in circles on google for answers. If this is true, the answer should be clear.

[alucard13mmfmj]

I wonder how does the rich and elite avoid these? Do they have private cooks and gardens?

It seems a lot of things we eat contains poisons.. added in unknowingly or possibly purposefully with malicious intent.

[Lishy]

I wonder how does the rich and elite avoid these? Do they have private cooks and gardens?

It seems a lot of things we eat contains poisons.. added in unknowingly or possibly purposefully with malicious intent.
According to the comments of the article, this stuff is in the parts per TRILLION concentration.

Now, that is still to worry of course. Assuming it is true, we have to ask how it goes into the food in the first place? But I would not know whether or not this is dangerous since it is in trillion. The perception bias would suggest so, but personally I'm more worried about fluoride in the water than this.

[Kluge]

Well, at least they don't "diddle (my) hemorrhoids (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?370203-Justices-Approve-Strip-Searches-for-Any-Offense/page2&p=4336212#post4336212)."

"Their" hemmorhoids, dammit!

[Kluge]

Been there, done that.

So basically, you don't know whether it is true or not, but you just hope it is due to a perception bias of "contrarian" philosophy? So you just blindly tell people to look at other people's work without researching it on your own?

Or is this just mob mentality, of "following the leader"?

All I'm asking is for the specifics here. I do not have time to waste hours looking in circles on google for answers. If this is true, the answer should be clear.

Your reading comprehension is abysmal.

You're the one stuffing your face with peanut butter, not me, do your own research.

[MelissaWV]

So... no drop in breast cancer rates once this was banned in the UK, then? Theoretically because people were stil not taking in enough of something else?

[specsaregood]

So... no drop in breast cancer rates once this was banned in the UK, then? Theoretically because people were stil not taking in enough of something else?

Don't worry, I'm sure somebody sells whatever it is you aren't getting enough of.

[MelissaWV]

Don't worry, I'm sure somebody sells whatever it is you aren't getting enough of.

No doubt :) However I would expect an article ringing the alarm over how this chemical caused a HUGE uptick in breast cancer rates (interesting how it alone is going to be such a contributing factor?)... to also include evidence of even a tiny, statistically significant downturn in cancer rates where the chemical was banned from foods over 20 years ago.

[phill4paul]

Irrational fear of spontaneous combustion? That's me. That's why I like peanut butter. :)

[impaleddead]

I loathe this type of argument.

Hydrogen peroxide is a rocket fuel. It is also a disinfectant used on cuts and to disinfect things like toothbrushes.

OMG! YOU'RE PUTTING ROCKET FUEL IN YOUR MOUTH! YOU'RE GONNA DIE!

(There's thousands of other examples FWIW.)

Granted, peanut butter should probably shouldn't have HBCD in it, but my reaction to this stupid type of argument is just to roll my eyes.

Would you wash your mouth out with hydrazine? Obviously HBCD isn't harmless like h2o2, so whatever technique they use to save 10 cents per jar of peanut butter that results in traces of this trash ending up in MY food is BULLSHIT. Either get rid of the FDA or tell them to do their damned jobs.

[MelissaWV]

Would you wash your mouth out with hydrazine? Obviously HBCD isn't harmless like h2o2, so whatever technique they use to save 10 cents per jar of peanut butter that results in traces of this trash ending up in MY food is BULLSHIT. End of story.

I would not wash my mouth out with a number of things that naturally occur in food. That is a bullshit argument of its own.

Seriously, is there some sort of actual study that tells us something about the concentration of this poison in our food, and why it's there, and if there's any particular brand, processing method, or strain of peanut that is affiliated with higher concentrations? Is there anything (other than an obviously out of place sentence about breast cancer) that tells us of negative effects measured over time? Is there anything showing what happened to those cancer rates when the substance was banned, since the substance was responsible for the hike? No. No. No. That's what makes this an unnecessary and silly panic, but it's your right to do so. There are probably more dangerous things growing in your keyboard right now, though, and being absorbed through your fingertips.

[heavenlyboy34]

Would you wash your mouth out with hydrazine? Obviously HBCD isn't harmless like h2o2, so whatever technique they use to save 10 cents per jar of peanut butter that results in traces of this trash ending up in MY food is BULLSHIT. Either get rid of the FDA or tell them to do their damned jobs.
Not to be rude....but in AZ (and probably other states too), the water supply has rocket fuel (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=perchlorate-contamination-regulation-water)(chromium perchloate) This has been known for many years, but I haven't noticed uproar about it here or anywhere else. Can we have a fear mongering thread about this, too plz? ;)

eta: chemist joke for amypi-"There's dihydrogen monoxide in the water supply! ZOMG! Call teh media" :D

[donnay]

Why not make your own peanut butter? Organic roasted and salted peanuts and organic coconut oil, in food processor--Whoosh! Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

[Kluge]

Would you wash your mouth out with hydrazine? Obviously HBCD isn't harmless like h2o2, so whatever technique they use to save 10 cents per jar of peanut butter that results in traces of this trash ending up in MY food is BULLSHIT. Either get rid of the FDA or tell them to do their damned jobs.

Would you use an illogical argument to push your agenda of fear? I think you would.

Oh, and H2O2 is not harmless, depending on concentration, handling and application--yet I will put it in my mouth. Hydrazine, no. You don't seem to understand what I'm trying to say--at all. The fact that hydrazine and hydrogen peroxide are used as rocket fuel tells me zero, zip about whether or not they are toxic to ingest in varying concentrations--do you get it now? The article was implying that any chemical found in a fire retardant is toxic, simply because it's used as a fire retardant--that is a piss poor argument and one that's based on fearmongering rather than fact.

Glad you used hydrazine, it was easier to make the illustration as clear as I possibly can. If you still want to believe that a chemical is automatically toxic because it's used in fire retardants, as rocket fuel, in disinfectants...whatever, then that's fine, but it's simply not true.

[donnay]

The Good Book says; "all things in moderation." Arsenic is also bad in high doses, but we need it too--just sayin'.

[Petar]

Studies have shown that 100% of people who die in fires are also not covered in peanut butter.

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

Would you wash your mouth out with hydrazine? Obviously HBCD isn't harmless like h2o2, so whatever technique they use to save 10 cents per jar of peanut butter that results in traces of this trash ending up in MY food is BULLSHIT. Either get rid of the FDA or tell them to do their damned jobs.

Reading the article, it's not just peanut butter, but HBCD is fat soluable, so also found in animals we eat for some reason.


In a new study of popular products purchased from grocery stores in Dallas, Texas, researchers found that nearly half of the sampled peanut butter and cold cuts, as well as turkey, fish, beef and other fatty foods, contained traces of a flame retardant commonly used in the foam insulation of building walls.

This appears to be the abstract of the study.

http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info%3Adoi%2F10.128 9%2Fehp.1204993

The question would be why is it in some things and not others? And at what concentrations is it harmful? And why not name where you're finding it so people can theorize and continue the work? Also, force those selling it to check their processes?

As far as the FDA goes, they'll throw us under the bus every chance they get, so they might as well disappear. In fact, I think they've done more to spread disinformation regarding GM foods more than anyone.

[phill4paul]

Why not make your own peanut butter? Organic roasted and salted peanuts and organic coconut oil, in food processor--Whoosh! Peanut Butter Jelly Time!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfyTUqfdiTc

[angelatc]

There were also other articles, but the huffington post article actually contained way more information than the other 4-5 I saw. Believe it or not, the others were probably heavier on scare tactics and lighter on information.

Do you know that Kluge is also a scientist?

[Danke]

Do you know that Kluge is also a scientist?

A mad one.

[angelatc]

-I can only take two-minute breaks from the kid before she gets involved in her next round of hijinks, so I can't read anything in-depth right now.

Have another one. They keep each other busy.

[angelatc]

A mad one.

Well, duh. It's the internetz!

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

Do you know that Kluge is also a scientist?

Sure, I've read the whole thread.

[angelatc]

Sure, I've read the whole thread.

From your tone, you didn't seem to give her the same cred that you gave the other scientist, so I just wanted to be sure. Carry on!

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

From your tone, you didn't seem to give her the same cred that you gave the other scientist, so I just wanted to be sure. Carry on!


Read me again. Kluge went off on my subject line without looking at the substance in question (HBCD) as far as I could tell because I identified it as a fire retardant instead of a specific chemical structure. I later posted a study showing it harmful in some concentration, for that reason. I don't have any disrespect for anyone seriously discussing it. (Kluge included)

[Kluge]

A mad one.

Better than an irritated pilot. Maybe.


Have another one. They keep each other busy.

That's what grandma keeps telling me. :p

[heavenlyboy34]

That's what grandma keeps telling me. :p
If teh Mexicans can pop 'em out like gumballs, so can you! ;) :D
(btw, I suspect angie was ribbing you. Siblings fight all the time and comr irritate mamma about it. My sis was a gnark and cry-baby, so I know a bit about these things.)

[paulbot24]

But why run a study looking for them, and then refuse to say where you found them?

Amen.

[specsaregood]

Well, at least they don't "diddle (my) hemorrhoids (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?370203-Justices-Approve-Strip-Searches-for-Any-Offense/page2&p=4336212#post4336212)."

So you aren't ingo Jarmel Berries?
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Jarmel%20Berries

[Petar]

So you aren't ingo Jarmel Berries?
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Jarmel%20Berries

They say that you learn something new every day.

[Kluge]

They say that you learn something new every day.

Whether you want to or not.........

[Danke]

So you aren't ingo Jarmel Berries?
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Jarmel%20Berries

Ban.

[Zippyjuan]

"Contained traces". At trace levels or parts per billion you can find about anything in everything.

Just for scale, how much would one part per billion be?
http://www.nesc.wvu.edu/ndwc/articles/ot/fa04/q&a.pdf

• one silver dollar in roll
stretching from Detroit to
Salt Lake City,
• one sheet in a roll of toilet
paper stretching from New
York to London,
• one second in nearly 32
years, or
• one pinch of salt in 10 tons
of potato chips.

One part per trillion would be 1000 times smaller than even that.

According to the study report, they were finding between 0.003 and 0.005 parts per billion. (0.003 ng/ gram wet weight) which would be 3- 5 parts per trillion or one pinch of salt in 10,000 tons of potato chips.
Link to original study report: http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info%3Adoi%2F10.128 9%2Fehp.1204993

[oyarde]

I do not eat peanut butter , but could use a spare fire extinguisher . I like my peanuts , still in the shell.

[Petar]

Whether you want to or not.........

Knowledge is power.

[brushfire]

What annoys me about peanut butter is that "they" ususually remove most of the penut oil and replace it with lard or some other cheap oil. If I wanted peanut w/lard, I would have purchased that.

...but who still eats peanut butter? I thought it was some sort of evil killing substance that preys on innocent little children - it was banished from the earth, no?

[John F Kennedy III]

I loathe this type of argument.

Hydrogen peroxide is a rocket fuel. It is also a disinfectant used on cuts and to disinfect things like toothbrushes.

OMG! YOU'RE PUTTING ROCKET FUEL IN YOUR MOUTH! YOU'RE GONNA DIE!

(There's thousands of other examples FWIW.)

Granted, peanut butter should probably shouldn't have HBCD in it, but my reaction to this stupid type of argument is just to roll my eyes.

I use hydrogen peroxide as mouthwash. Rubbing alcohol too.

[oyarde]

I use hydrogen peroxide as mouthwash. Rubbing alcohol too. After the toothpaste , I just go to black coffee .

[John F Kennedy III]

After the toothpaste , I just go to black coffee .

Gross. I can't drink coffee without creamer.

[oyarde]

Watch it. I have heard bad rumors about the creamers ;)

[oyarde]

Only way I can drink milk , is a White Russian .

[Highstreet]

I used to be a senior chemist with an R&D lab; I fully support this post.

Yes, we should be aware of what is in our food. But as detection limits are pushed (ppb is now the standard ppm used to be; ppt as in trillion is coming), you're going to find certains compounds in anything you test.

Again, being informed is good; obeing overly reactionary to something that is made to sound scary, on a subject with little native understanding is not so good.

I think it's the discerning mind of the people here that is so appealing. We shouldn't take anything at face value, even if it fits well in our views of the world. Selection bias is a bitch!

Exactly.

[Kluge]

Only way I can drink milk , is a White Russian .

I love milk, don't drink it anymore though...but damn--a White Russian is one of the tastiest drinks ever.

[Kluge]

I use hydrogen peroxide as mouthwash. Rubbing alcohol too.

Rubbing alcohol? Damn--wouldn't you be better off with vodka? Ouch!

[specsaregood]

Only way I can drink milk , is a White Russian .

I love milk, don't drink it anymore though...but damn--a White Russian is one of the tastiest drinks ever.

+3

Perhaps we have suddenly stumbled upon the real reason for the affection for the big lebowski here on rpfs...

[oyarde]

+3

Perhaps we have suddenly stumbled upon the real reason for the affection for the big lebowski here on rpfs... That guy reminds me currently , of the guy who lived across the road from me as a kid .

[John F Kennedy III]

Rubbing alcohol? Damn--wouldn't you be better off with vodka? Ouch!

If your mouthwash makes you cry, you know it's working.

[specsaregood]

That guy reminds me currently , of the guy who lived across the road from me as a kid .

Some people dream of being rich, famous and powerful. I just want to be where my biggest concern is that some chinaman pissed on my rug.

[Kluge]

+3

Perhaps we have suddenly stumbled upon the real reason for the affection for the big lebowski here on rpfs...

The way the milk swirls so perfectly, clinks with ice and mixes with the dark liquor, then the kick of vodka after you take a sip. I remember the first time I ordered one, fully expecting to hate it. Sweet...but not disgusting sweet like an apple martini. It has substance.


That guy reminds me currently , of the guy who lived across the road from me as a kid .

I love the comfy sweater. Wish I had one like that...I guess I'll need to find someone who knits.

[Kluge]

If your mouthwash makes you cry, you know it's working.

I think I'll stick to toothpaste, floss and peroxide. :D

[brushfire]

If your mouthwash makes you cry, you know it's working.

Dude, you can go blind from rubbing alcohol... You'll have the cleanest teeth, but you'll never see 'em. ...crazy a$$. LOL



ETA: setup for hairy palm jokes, because I know there's someone who will go there

[Carson]

Watch it. I have heard bad rumors about the creamers ;)

How can you mess up ground up rock? (http://verylittleknownfacts.blogspot.com/2007/10/non-dairy-creamer-how-do-they-do-it.html)

For years I thought they just ground up calcium. I am sadly mistaken.


I was going to go douse some of the global fire that now rages with a little peanut butter and crackers. I think I will go for an apricot instead.

[oyarde]

How can you mess up ground up rock? (http://verylittleknownfacts.blogspot.com/2007/10/non-dairy-creamer-how-do-they-do-it.html)

For years I thought they just ground up calcium. I am sadly mistaken.


I was going to go douse some of the global fire that now rages with a little peanut butter and crackers. I think I will go for an apricot instead.

Yeah , the apricot, and , or crackers would be the way to go ...

[oyarde]

How can you mess up ground up rock? (http://verylittleknownfacts.blogspot.com/2007/10/non-dairy-creamer-how-do-they-do-it.html)

For years I thought they just ground up calcium. I am sadly mistaken.


I was going to go douse some of the global fire that now rages with a little peanut butter and crackers. I think I will go for an apricot instead. As you can probably now see , I never use the non dairy creamer , for years , I did keep some for company , not anymore . If somebody asks for cream I just put a bit of milk in it. I keep milk to make gravy with.

[John F Kennedy III]

Dude, you can go blind from rubbing alcohol... You'll have the cleanest teeth, but you'll never see 'em. ...crazy a$$. LOL



ETA: setup for hairy palm jokes, because I know there's someone who will go there

Haha. Can you really go blind from rubbing alcohol?

[oyarde]

Haha. Can you really go blind from rubbing alcohol? Just do not swallow it .

[Carson]

Haha. Can you really go blind from rubbing alcohol?


Picture it as someone being blinded for not paying their taxes while you still can.

[donnay]

Flame Retardant Found in Common Foods From Supermarkets

Michelle Castillo (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57444861-10391704/flame-retardant-found-in-common-foods-from-dallas-supermarkets/)
CBS News
Thu, 31 May 2012 22:16 CDT

A new study from researchers at the University of Texas School of Public Health has revealed that flame retardant chemicals were found in many samples taken from popular food items.

While less than half of the tested food products had detectible levels of the chemical called hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), 15 out of the 36 items tested positive. HBCD is used in polystyrene foam in the building and construction industry and can be found worldwide in the environment and wildlife, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. It has been highly toxic for aquatic organisms, and shown to have troubling effects on animal populations.

"The levels we found are lower than what the government agencies currently think are dangerous," study author Dr. Arnold Schecter, a public health physician at the University of Texas School of Public Health in Dallas, told WebMD. "But those levels were determined one chemical at a time."

The results were published in Environmental Health Perspectives, a National Institute of Health publication, on May 31.

The researchers bought the samples from Dallas-area supermarkets between 2009 and 2010. The foods with detectable levels tended to be items with fish like canned sardines or fresh salmon or products with meat like deli-sliced turkey or ham in them. One out of the three varieties of chili with beans also tested positive.

A spokesperson for the North American Flame Retardant Alliance of the American Chemistry Council told WebMD that it should be noted that the majority of the tested items did not have HBCD, and if it was found in the product, it contained levels much lower than levels reported to show negative health effects.

Just because HBDC hasn't been shown to have adverse affects to humans doesn't necessarily mean that scientists won't find out they cause them in the future, Dr. Kenneth Spaeth, director of the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Center at the Department of Population Health at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y., cautions to HealthPop.

In animal tests, the chemicals have been show to disrupt hormones in the endocrine system and in the thyroid. Concern has also been raised since it has also been shown to affect neurodevelopment, which means young children or pregnant populations can potentially be at risk. Europe has stricter regulations on the use of HBCD, and Spaeth says HBCD levels within their populations are clearly lower than levels found in U.S. residents.

"It's an extremely controversial area," he explains to HealthPop. "In my opinion, the determination of what is safe and what isn't, the jury is still out (on HBCD). We don't have enough good data to say definitely what is good or isn't."

Spaeth says HBCD often gets into food products through contamination in the environment. It is often discarded in our water sources, which allows them to seep into the soil. The chemicals work their way up through the food chain when they are absorbed by plants, which are then eaten by animals. Spaeth says this is why you often find HBCD in meat, dairy and fish products.

But, it's not just our food that's contaminated. Spaeth points out that HBCD is very prevalent in our households because it often binds itself to dust - and tests have shown that the levels found in our homes are often higher than what is recorded in food sources. The chemical is used in common products including furniture, telephones, washing machines and our stoves. This can be especially troublesome for children, who often crawl on the floor and put lots of items in their mouths. To minimize exposure, Spaeth suggests using a vaccum with a hepafilter and washing your hands frequently.

"It's fine to be cautious and vocal. Just because we 'know' it's safe doesn't mean we shouldn't try to minimize exposure, especially in vulnerable populations," he says.