Exposure to hormone disrupting chemicals from food

Thousands of chemicals are used in food processing and food packaging and approved by the FDA as “indirect” food additives. This includes hormone disrupting chemicals, such as BPA and a group of chemicals called phthalates, both of which are present in the bodies of over 90 percent of the U.S. population and have been linked to reproductive and developmental toxicity. Both BPA and certain phthalates have been approved as indirect food additives since the 1950s. Though several federal agencies, including the FDA, have identified food as the major source of exposure to these chemicals, the FDA has not routinely monitored our food supply for levels of contamination and it is unknown which foods are most contaminated. Previous studies have found phthalates and BPA in canned foods, milk, and poultry and meat. We are analyzing a variety of foods purchased from U.S. grocery stores for levels of phthalate contamination. The results of this testing will be presented along with a discussion of gaps in FDA's oversight of chemical contamination of our food supply.