Image by: Pediatric Dentistry
Million’s of kids each day are fed juices, like apple and grape, in little boxes. But would parents be giving these to their young ones if they knew they were contaminated with toxic poisons? Consumer Reports recently published a headlining story on apple and grape juices containing levels of arsenic – a harmful poison and contaminant.
My first question upon this realization is one, I am sure, that is shared with thousands of juice consumers worldwide. How were these arsenic levels not dealt with by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)? Is there no standard level of arsenic that is deemed acceptable for consumers? The shocking truth is that the FDA does not regulate arsenic levels in fruit juices. In fact, there is no such federal arsenic threshold –not only for juices, but for most foods. The only form of limitation for this poison is enforced in bottled water –a standard of no more than 10 parts per billion (ppb).
Image by: Consumer Reports
An investigation by Consumer Reports showed that out of 88 tested samples of grape and apple juices, all contained detectable Arsenic. Roughly 10% had arsenic levels exceeding the bottle water limit of 10 ppb. These same samples were tested for lead contamination, 25% of which showing levels exceeding the FDA’s 5 ppb lead standard for water. High controversy and speculation arose about toxic arsenic levels in fruit juices when similar results created headlines from a 2011 study on “The Dr. Oz Show”.
Since then, the FDA has stated to be “seriously considering” creating a standard limit for levels of arsenic that will be allowed in juices, and is “collecting all relevant information to evaluate and determine an appropriate level”.
So, is there reason to be concerned?
The affects of long term exposure to poisons like arsenic are chronic and detrimental. A 2004 study at Columbia University showed that when exposed to drinking water with arsenic levels above 5 ppb, children showed a decreased intellectual function. A similar study conducted by Texas researchers in 2011 showed the same results, that even low-level arsenic exposure over a long period of time “significantly relates to poorer scores in language, global cognition, and immediate memory”.
Well, how is the arsenic entering these beverages in the first place? Although it is difficult to pin-point one cause, the main source is thought to be from soils tainted with arsenate pesticides, which have been banned for decades in the US, but somehow seem to reside in its soils.
So why isn’t anything being done? The fact that there currently is no set standard for arsenic levels in juice is baffling. The FDA must step up the monitoring of this poison in our juices and foods, and needs to immediately enforce limits that are appropriate and make sense.
References:
- Consumer Reports: Arsenic in Juice
- Dr. Oz Investigates: Arsenic in Apple Juice
- Mother Jones: There’s Arsenic in Your Kids’ Apple Juice
- Wikipedia: Arsenic Poisoning
- Health Freedom Alliance
