William Simpson
Consumer Reports continues to sound the alarm about plastic chemicals in food, with the advocacy group again targeting General Mills for producing a range of products that contain risky and unintended ingredients.
The defenders delivered on Thursday a petition signed by more than 30,000 people at General Mills headquarters in Golden Valley, Minnesota, calling on the company to address potentially harmful plastic chemicals in its food.
At issue are plasticizers, a chemical product that makes plastic more flexible and resistant, according to for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Studies have linked the substances to potential health risks, including interference with the production of estrogen and hormones, and diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer and birth defects.
“Because constant exposure to even very small amounts of these chemicals over time can increase health risks, we urge Annie’s and General Mills to immediately take the necessary steps to monitor and eliminate the presence of these chemicals in all their brands”, says the petition. he stated.
Thursday’s event continues tests by Consumer Reports earlier this year of 85 different foods. It found the highest concentration of phthalates – the most commonly used plasticizer – in a canned plastic product made by Annie’s Homegrown, an organic brand owned by General Mills. In addition to Annie’s Organic Cheese Ravioli, other General Mills products that contained the plasticizer included brands Yoplait, Cheerios, Green Giant and Progresso.
In a letter sent to the company in February, Consumer Reports also warned General Mills about “worrying” levels of phthalates in several of its products.
“We tested a variety of foods, and some of the highest concentrations were in General Mills products,” Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, told CBS MoneyWatch. The company needs to identify the origin of the chemicals, which may come from products supplied by third parties or during its production processes, Ronholm said.
Plastic chemicals end up in food primarily through packaging and exposure to plastics and pipes, with conveyor belts and plastic gloves being possible culprits, Ronholm noted.
General Mills did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Plastic chemicals are nearly impossible to avoid, but consumers can limit their exposure by using glass instead of plastic storage containers and water bottles, Ronholm said. “There are no regulatory requirements at this time,” said Ronholm, who also urged federal regulators to develop rules covering the substances.
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