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Kylea Spencer

Professor Leonard

English 1201.512

24 March 2021

What chemicals/hormones are in common foods we consume and what are the potential effects?

We are shortening our own lives to lengthen the shelf life, enhance the flavor, and

enhance the size of the foods we eat. From MSG to Sodium Nitrate studies show we are

risking many aspects of our health such as neurological, physical and oral to fulfill our food

desires. While we have been using and consuming these chemicals for many years, do the

benefits outweigh the risks? I personally had to have my wisdom teeth removed at age 14, at

that point my dentist looked at my mom and said, “thank all the hormones in our food”. Since

then, I have educated myself more about what additives are in foods we eat every day.

Chemical additives are used for many things in foods such as enhancing color, taste,

expanded shelf-life, larger yields of crops and the list goes on. These all seem like benefits but

do these “benefits” always outweigh the risks. Chemical additives have been linked to many

health risks from weight gain to diseases like cancer. The first “additive” ever used was salt

on different meats to preserve the meat, through the dehydration process which limits

bacterial growth (Food: A chemical history). From that point it was learned adding many things

to our foods could have very different outcomes.

Consuming these chemicals is moderation in low amounts may not be so harmful, but if

one relies on heavily processed foods the ricks will add up. The top 5 commonly used additives

linked to the most serious health effects are sodium nitrites, sulfites, trans fat, monosodium

glutamate, and FD&C yellow no. 5 and no. 6. Sodium nitrites help to stabilize the color and
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flavor of meat while preventing the growth of harmful bacteria. Once the meat is heated to high

temperatures or when it is combined with stomach acid, the sodium nitrate then produces

nitrosamines. The nitrosamines that are produced have been linked to an increased risk of

colorectal and pancreatic cancer (Team).

Those were just a few of the many additives being used, other additives such as guar

gum, if consumed in high amounts can swell up to 20 times its normal size. This can then cause

issues such as an obstruction in the small intestine or esophagus. Another very common additive

is high-fructose corn syrup, which is a sweetener that is made from corn. Studies done on high-

fructose corn syrup have found that fructose can sometimes trigger inflammation in the cells

(Link).

In 2017 the FDA ordered testing on 91 samples of vegetables, fruit, milk, meat, etc., out

of the 91 samples tested 14 were positive for PFASs (polyfluoroalkyl substances) (Goodman).

While this may not seem like a huge number, it is significant when you think you are eating

something healthy and nourishing to your body like pineapple or sweet potato but its really

contaminated with chemicals. With a surge in microbiome research, many studies done have

showed us the consequences and causes of changes occurring in the gut microbiota (Chiu).

Major contaminants such as environmental chemicals in our food are often overlooked when

talking about changes in the gut microbiome.

While most think they are consuming what is best for their body, many are not aware of

all the chemicals and pesticides being ingested through our foods. There are many ways to cut

back on eating processed foods such as buy from local farms and only eating organic. Depending

on how much time and commitment one has, you could even plant many of your own fruits and
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vegetables, so you know exactly what you are putting in your body. Consuming these chemicals

through the food we eat is just one way we are possibly shortening our lives with health issues.

Effects on the human body is not the only thing to be concerned about, because when

spraying these pesticides on our crops they are also being absorbed into the environment. So not

only are our foods contaminated but so are the sewer systems, our drinking water, the soil, and so

on. These pesticides are used for a variety of reasons such as insect control, weed control and to

get a larger yield with bigger crops. Yes, those all sound like such great things but the potential

risks of using these range from neurological effects to life threatening diseases. With the rapidly

growing population, farmers have turned to these chemicals to get the highest yields possible

while also trying to grow the largest crops. At what cost are these high yields and big crops

coming to us. Constantly millions of tons of contaminated water are being dumped in our sewage

systems which ultimately poisons our bodies of water.

So not only are we consuming these chemicals through the food we eat but they are in the

water we drink and the air we are breathing. The top three ways pesticides are spread is through

pesticide adsorption, transfer and degradation. Through absorption the pesticides bind to soil

particles and are then absorbed into the soil. Pesticide transfer is where the pesticide is

transferred which can be done through many different processes, away from the original target to

a non-target species such as humans (Pesticides and the Environment). Degradation of the

chemicals is the process in which the pesticides are broken down and, in most cases, reacts with

water called hydrolysis.

Animals are also suffering due to these hormones and chemicals being added to our

foods. From the grass they eat, the foods they are fed and the injections they are given it’s all just

a way to produce more food as fast as possible. All too often animals like cows are injected with
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steroids to make them “meatier” in order to provide more meat per animal. While this has many

effects on the animals, the meat is now full of these chemicals. Which in turn the meat is then

packaged and sold at our local grocery stores. The animals are not genetically supposed to be as

big as these hormones make them, they face many health risks as do humans with farmers using

all these chemicals. Besides just the hormones that can be injected they are fed foods to make

they gain lots of weight for the farms to sell them for more meat and make more money.

It is like a vicious cycle from what the animals are consuming, which we then consume

the meat from the animals. The water they drink to the water we drink one way or another there

are chemicals that we are not aware of being consumed. Antibiotics is another substance these

animals are given to prevent infections dieses among them. But just like everything else the

antibiotics are then absorbed into the meat and sold at stores for us to consume (Jeong et al.).

There are other downfalls to the use of all these antibiotics in animals such as antimicrobial

resistance, where illnesses become resistant to the use of these antibiotics.

In humans, the most effected by using pesticides are children due to the fact they are still

developing and are consuming more poison than adults (Team et al.). With children having

significant smaller bodies than adults, the effects on them is more impactful. Starting with recent

studies that have shown high levels of toxic chemicals in baby foods, to what mothers are

consuming while breast feeding. Our future generations are bound to be consuming these

pesticides, hormones and chemicals starting in infancy. Changes need to be made to protect our

children and ourselves from consuming these toxins in our everyday lives.

Our animals are also being affected in many ways besides from them being injected and

fed hormones and antibiotics. Our fish are being poisoned due to pesticide residue being carried

to the rivers, streams and ponds in which they live. Not only are they being poisoned and in some
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cases killed, but this is also another way we as humans are consuming more pesticides. These

fish and aquatic life absorb all these chemicals for us to then eat them. There are three different

types of pesticide poisoning acute, chronic, and secondary. Acute poisoning is short exposure to

pesticides at high levels that could sicken or kill our wildlife (Pesticide Impact on Wildlife

Ecology). Chronic poisoning is exposure to pesticides over a period of time but at levels that are

not immediately lethal. Secondary poisoning is when prey species is consumed by an animal, and

the prey contained pesticide residue (Pesticide Impact on Wildlife Ecology).

There are over 14,000 “lab made” additives that are used on our foods to enhance the

shelf life, research has shown Americans consume 453.6 billion kilograms of these chemical

additives every year (Club). While most of these chemicals are FDA approved for use in

moderation, but that does not mean that illegal use does not occur. Many additives have been

banned for use in the United States starting in the early 19th century. To prevent most illegal use

of additives, the Food Additives Amendment (FD&C Act) was passed in the year 1958, which

requires FDA approval of an additive prior to it being used in food. This law requires the

manufacturer of the product to prove how safe the additive is, in the ways they are intending on

using it. In 1960, the Color Additives Amendment was passed under the FD&C Act, this

amendment requires that dyes used in drugs, cosmetics and foods must be FDA approved before

marketing begins.

Of the 200 color additives that were originally used only 90 have been proven to be safe

for use. The regulation Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) is in place to limit the amount of

color and food additives that manufacturers can use in foods (Food Additives). Not only are there

additives that are purposefully put on the foods we eat, but there are also indirect additives such

as chemicals on the packaging our food comes in. This is ultimately also contaminating the food
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we consume with more chemicals. Around 100 new color and food additives are annually

submitted to the FDA for approval with many off them being indirect additives (Food Additives).

For a new additive to be approved the petition must have enough evidence to prove the

additive does what its intended to do. In most cases it is necessary for animal studies to be done

using large doses of the proposed additive for a long period of time to dhow the additive would

not cause harm to humans when consumed at expected levels (Food Additives).

Using all these different things on/in our foods has major effects all the way around.

From chronic life-threatening diseases to children reaching puberty and other milestones much

earlier and at the cost of our animals being poisoned and dying. The line must be drawn

somewhere, are these “benefits” really benefits. There must be better more efficient ways to get

these high yields while also not putting our health at risk. Although the population is rapidly

growing, there is also a lot of food waste that occurs. For example, when a store does not sell

items by their “sell by” date the items are typically thrown away. These foods could easily be

used at local homeless shelters and food pantries to help fight hunger.

The United States wastes more food than any other country, almost 80 billion pounds

every year (Food Waste in America in 2021: Statistics & Facts: RTS). Not only is this an issue

because we are already fighting hunger, discarding all this food has irreversible consequences on

the environment. According to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), of all food

produced around the world one-third of it is wasted (Food Waste in America in 2021: Statistics

& Facts: RTS). Studies have shown Americans waste over 200 billion on food every year. So are

these chemicals used to make larger yields necessary when so much food is already being

wasted. Farms are responsible for 16% of the food waste that occurs, while stores, restaurants,
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and food service companies are responsible for 40% of the food waste (Food Waste in America

in 2021: Statistics & Facts: RTS).

Although there are many adverse effects to these additives and hormones there are also

some good uses for them when used in moderation. For example, the antibiotics prevent the

spread of serious illnesses that can be spread from animals to humans. The worry of humans

becoming antibiotic resistant from the antibiotics the animals receive but the other side of it

humans face is serious illnesses. Typically, protocols are followed to ensure the safety of

humans, so an unrealistic amount of antibiotics are not consumed, but sometimes the protocols

are not followed. Testing is done routinely to detect the levels of antibiotics being used.

While the over-consumption of the additives such as xanthan gum can cause digestive

issues, but in small amounts it has been associated with health benefits. Some of these health

benefits include lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels along with an increased feeling of

fullness. Guar gum also can provide almost the same health benefits as xanthan gum when

consumed in small amounts. Other additives like artificial sweeteners also have health benefits

such as management of blood sugar levels and aiding in weight loss. Obesity in America has

become a growing issue so in that instance artificial sweeteners are good at helping with weight

control while fulfilling a sweet tooth craving.

Another benefit to processed foods is that because they have been treated with additives,

they usually taste better and have a longer shelf life. Some foods even require additives so they

can make it to the stores and then into homes before spoilage occurs. Using additives is less

expensive and more convenient (Team). As much food that is already wasted, without additives

we would be wasting a much more due to the fact many additives prevent our foods from

spoilage. Enhancement of flavor and color in some foods is also due to additives, specifically
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meats. Nitrates are used to preserve the color of the meat; new evidence has shown that these

nitrates also prevent the growth of bacteria’s that can cause deadly diseases. One of the biggest

positive effects from food additives is the role they have played in reducing nutritional

deficiencies. Now more than ever color and food additives are strictly regulated.

Overall, a solution where we can prevent food spoilage, deadly bacteria and maintain

high yields while also protecting our health needs to be found. Just like in my own case with my

doctor believing the rapid growth of my wisdom teeth, was due to hormones in the food this

same scenario happens every day. I was lucky and it was something that could be fixed with an

oral procedure, but some hormone imbalances due to diet in puberty can lead to lifelong effects.

Hormonal effects are just a small percentage of what we are doing to our bodies by consuming

all these additives. From behavioral changes to heart disease, cancer and many other serious

illnesses Americans need to be better educated on what they are consuming. By expanding the

shelf life, flavor and color of the foods consumed, they are shortening the years humans have in

their lives.

Although these additives are heavily controlled there are many ways that farms and

manufactures illegally use them to their advantage. The larger the yield, the better looking the

crops the more money these companies and farmers are making. The health of the humans that

will be consuming these foods is not on the top list of priorities at most facilities. While there are

many manufacturers that are “organic”, its truly never known what you are putting into your

body unless you grow and produce products yourself. After having my doctor say such impactful

words at just age fourteen, I try to be much more aware of what I am consuming. There are many

ways to do this besides doing it yourself, such as local famers/farmers markets, no sugary drinks

and just overall awareness of what is being consumed.

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Works Cited

Chiu, Karen, et al. “The Impact of Environmental Chemicals on the Gut Microbiome.”

Toxicological Sciences, vol. 176, no. 2, 2020, pp. 253–284., doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfaa065.

Club, Marketing The Conscious. “Food & Chemicals.” The Conscious Challenge, The

Conscious Challenge, 23 May 2019,

www.theconsciouschallenge.org/ecologicalfootprintbibleoverview/food-chemicals.

“Food Additives.” Findlaw, 26 Mar. 2008, corporate.findlaw.com/law-library/food-

additives.html.

“Food Waste in America in 2021: Statistics & Facts: RTS.” Recycle Track Systems,

www.rts.com/resources/guides/food-waste-america/.

“Food: A Chemical History.” Science Museum, 27 Nov. 2019,

www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/chemistry/food-chemical-

history#:~:text=Chemicals%20in%20our%20food&text=The%20first%20deliberate

%20use%20of,of%20food%20spoilage%20was%20understood.

Goodman, Brenda. “FDA Tests Find Toxic Chemicals in Food.” WebMD, WebMD, 5 June 2019,

www.webmd.com/diet/news/20190605/fda-tests-find-toxic-chemicals-in-food.

Jeong, Sang-Hee, et al. “Risk Assessment of Growth Hormones and Antimicrobial Residues in

Meat.” Toxicological Research, vol. 26, no. 4, 2010, pp. 301–313.,

doi:10.5487/tr.2010.26.4.301.
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Link, Rachael. “12 Common Food Additives - Should You Avoid Them?” Healthline, Healthline

Media, 23 Apr. 2018, www.healthline.com/nutrition/common-food-additives.

“Pesticides and the Environment.” University of Missouri Extension,

extension.missouri.edu/publications/g7520.

“Pesticide Impact on Wildlife Ecology.” Pesticide Environmental Stewardship,

pesticidestewardship.org/non-target/pesticide-impact/.

Team, Heart and Vascular. “5 Food Additives You Should Avoid.” Health Essentials from

Cleveland Clinic, Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic, 29 Dec. 2020,

health.clevelandclinic.org/5-food-additives-you-should-avoid/#:~:text=Consuming

%20small%20amounts%20of%20additives,pressure%2C%20heart%20disease%20and

%20cancer.

Team, Web, et al. “Are We Poisoning Ourselves?” Technology Times, 21 Jan. 2015,

www.technologytimes.pk/2015/01/21/are-we-poisoning-ourselves/.