Drink-up - EFSA Determines Up to 400mg/day Safe for Healthy Adult

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) released its determination that 400 mg/day of caffeine is safe for the healthy adult.

According to the Caffeine Informer.com, This is equivalent to about:
5.2  -  Shots of espresso
Two - 5 Hour Energy Shots
1  -  Starbucks Venti brewed coffee
2.5 -  16 fl.oz. Monster Energy Drinks
5 -  8 fl.oz. Red Bulls
11.7  - 12 fl.oz. Cokes

And according to that same website, my morning coffee from the Creamery, 20oz size is probably between 200 and 400mg.  Of the beverages, coffee and energy drinks have the highest level of caffeine (8oz of Red Bull would be slightly less than 8 oz of regular coffee).

According to a Penn State study, 85% of American consumer one caffeinated beverage per day with an average intact of 165 mg.   The group that had the highest intact of caffeine were in the 50-64 year olds...coffee drinkers.


IFT Weekly
http://www.ift.org/food-technology/newsletters/ift-weekly-newsletter/2015/january/012115.aspx#headlines1
 EFSA determines 400 mg/day of caffeine is safe

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published its long-awaited caffeine risk assessment. Previous studies on the safety of caffeine have been published by the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) in 1983, 1999, and 2003. In 2013, EFSA was asked to evaluate potential adverse health effects that may arise following consumption either alone or in combination with alcohol and/or other substances such as energy drinks.

Drug-laced Bread Sickens 40 in LA

A bread made in celebration of Three Kings Day was contaminated with synthetic cannabinoid, or synthetic pot.  It affected at least 40 people with the symptoms that included heart palpitations, dizziness, numbness and hallucinations. 

This specific chemical, JWH-122, was developed for research and would be illegal to have, but other forms of synthetic pot, known as Spice or K2, can be purchased legally.

Police continue to investigate how the chemical got into the food, most likely a case of intentional contamination.

Orange County Register
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/bread-648036-synthetic-people.html
Testing: Three Kings Day bread laced with 'substantial' amount of synthetic pot
Jan. 13, 2015    Updated Jan. 14, 2015 9:56 p.m.

A holiday sweet bread that caused dozens in Orange County to become ill might have been deliberately laced with a synthetic drug that mimics the active ingredient in marijuana, the president of a Santa Ana-based lab said Tuesday.

Neil Spingarn, a pharmacologist who heads up S&N Laboratories, tested a sample of the Three Kings Day bread and found it contaminated with “a substantial” amount of a synthetic cannabinoid – an artificial THC with intensified effects. THC is the main chemical ingredient in marijuana.

“The levels in the cake are not small.” Spingarn said. “What is most striking is that this was not inadvertent.”

Report - Phthalates and IQ Levels in Children

A published study claims a link between lower IQ levels in children with higher levels of phthalates in their mothers during pregnancy.  But there have been other linkages to issues associated with development and reproductive health.  The chemical does not bioaccumulate in the body and does break down in the environment..

Phthalates are used in a large variety of products, from enteric coatings of pharmaceutical pills, gelling agents,  adhesives and glues, detergents, packaging, children's toys, modelling clay, waxes, paints, printing inks and coatings, pharmaceuticals, food products, and textiles. Phthalates are also frequently used in soft plastic fishing lures, sex toys, caulk, paint pigments, shower curtains, vinyl upholstery, adhesives, floor tiles, food containers and wrappers, and cleaning materials. Personal-care items containing phthalates include perfume, eye shadow, moisturizer, nail polish, liquid soap, and hair spray.  Items made of PVC and cosmetics may be the primary contributors.

 So it is easy to see that people are commonly exposed to phthalates.  In one study, CDC has found that people had the metabolites of multiple phthalates in their urine.

From the FDA webpage on the topic:

FDA reviewed the safety and toxicity data for phthalates, including the CDC data from 2001, as well as the CIR conclusions based on reviews in 1985 and 2002. While the CDC report noted elevated levels of phthalates excreted by women of child-bearing age, neither this report nor the other data reviewed by FDA established an association between the use of phthalates in cosmetic products and a health risk. Based on this information, FDA determined that there wasn’t a sound, scientific basis to support taking regulatory action against cosmetics containing phthalates.

Here is the link to the CDC website on the topic.

Like BPA, there is controversy around the real risk associated with phthalates.  And so what we can say is that where possible, we avoid risk.  This is not always easy because many of the items where phthalates are used, do not have regulations that require them on the label.  So on cosmetic items, especially fragrances, look for 'phthalate free'.  Use plastic with recycling codes 1, 2, and 5.  Throw out old plastic toys (pre-2010) or don't let little kids play with them (for you 'collectors').  Do not heat food in plastic containers.  Sex toys....won't go there.



Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/10/us-health-pthalates-child-iq-idUSKBN0JO26620141210
Prenatal exposure to chemicals tied to lower IQ at age 7
By Kathryn Doyle

Wed Dec 10, 2014 2:20pm EST

(Reuters Health) - Children whose mothers were exposed to higher levels of phthalates, common chemicals in consumer products, in late pregnancy tend to score lower than other kids on intelligence tests at age seven, according to a new study.

Some soaps, nail polish, hairspray, shower curtains, raincoats, car interiors and dryer sheets contain phthalates, which are used as so-called plasticizers, or softening agents.

At present, the Food and Drug Administration does not have evidence that phthalates as used in cosmetics pose a safety risk, but six types of phthalates are currently banned from children’s toys, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Does BPA increase Blood Pressure? The BPA Controversy Continues

In the ongoing controversy on BPA, that chemical used in the lining of cans and in plastic containers, a Korean research team claims that BPA increases blood pressure. The American Chemistry Council (ACC) countered and said the study "inappropriately concerns and confuses consumers" in that the claim "is a gross overstatement of the findings, an incredible disservice to public health, and runs contrary to years of research by government scientists".

Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/08/bpa-cans-blood-pressure_n_6290644.html
BPA In Cans Tied To Increased Blood Pressure
Reuters
Posted: 12/08/2014 4:31 pm EST Updated: 12/08/2014 5:59 pm EST
By Andrew M. Seaman

(Reuters Health) - People have small increases in blood pressure after drinking from cans lined with material that includes a common chemical, South Korean researchers say.

When can linings contained bisphenol A - more commonly known as BPA - systolic blood pressure (the top number) went up by about 5 millimeters of mercury (mm/Hg), researchers found.

"I would like to recommend consumers use fresh foods or glass bottled foods rather than canned foods," said Dr. Yun-Chul Hong, the study's senior researcher from the Seoul National University College of Medicine. "I also hope manufacturers develop and use healthy alternatives (instead) of BPA for inner lining of the can containers."

Industrial Oil Recalled after Being Used in Feed.

An Ohio company is recalling Soyoil containing Lascadoil, industrial processing waste oil, which was intended for non-food product or bio-fuels but may have been used as a feed ingredient.  Use of it in feed may have resulted in the deaths of some turkeys.

Interesting is the fact that this comes as FDA looks to implement preventive control for feed for animals as a part of the FSMA regulation.

Shur-Green Farms is basically a recycler of food waste.  The website (excerpt below) positions itself as a green company taking waste and putting it to best use.  Certainly that is admirable.  But you can imagine that waste streams may be challenging.  While not sure in this case, but if a person inadvertently contaminated a waste product, and then sent it to this company for recycling, and the assumption is made that it can be used in feed...then there can be issues.


FDA Recall Notice
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm420543.htm
Shur-Green Farms Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Lascadoil/Soyoil Due to Possible Lasalocid Contamination

Contact:
Consumer:
937-459-2768

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — October 23, 2014 — Shur-Green Farms LLC(Ansonia, OH) has voluntarily recalled loads of Soyoil containing Lascadoil, industrial processing waste oil, which was intended for non-food product or bio-fuels but may have been used as a feed ingredient. This voluntary recall is the result of death in turkeys.

The recall includes load sold on or before September 17, 2014.

Tea Sweetened with Industrial Cleaner Results in Hospitalization

A woman was hospitalized after drinking ice tea that had industrial cleaner in it.  The cleaner had been accidently mixed into the sugar that was used to sweeten the tea.

Prevention of chemical contamination is handled through good standard operating procedures.
Keeping cleaning chemical separate from food and food ingredients.
Employee training in food preparation as well as in proper chemical handling.
Proper marking of all chemicals and ingredients.

Poor procedures or poor execution of procedures can result in catastrophe.  Unfortunately, many cleaning chemicals can look like food ingredients...basically white powders.  So proper labeling is critical.  As well as keeping hazardous cleaning chemicals in separate areas.

Unfortunately for this woman, she was the first to drink the tea.  Fortunate that she was the only one.

Standard Examiner
http://www.standard.net/Police/2014/08/18/Police-waiting-in-Dickey-s-ice-tea-poisoning-case.html
Police waiting as victim improves in ice tea poisoning case
Monday , August 18, 2014 - 11:00 AM

BRADY McCOMBS   The Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY — A woman who unknowingly drank iced tea laced with an industrial cleaning solution at a Utah restaurant has whispered and gotten out of bed, her lawyer said.

The progress marks the first sign of improvement for Jan Harding since the 67-year-old was rushed to a hospital nearly a week ago with severe burns to her mouth and throat, according to family attorney Paxton Guymon.

The heavy-duty cleaner that ended up in the sweetened iced tea Harding drank last Sunday at a Dickey’s Barbecue in a Salt Lake City suburb was unintentionally mixed into a bag of sugar, which a worker later added into the iced tea dispenser, authorities have said.

Over addition of vitamin leads to illness associated with rice product

Earlier this February, Uncle Bens Rice product was recalled after there were a number of cases of illness. It appears that the issue was that the product had excessive niacin addition. "The FDA said overexposure to niacin can cause skin reactions, and very large doses can cause indigestion and nausea."

There are a number of chemicals that are added to food that can become hazards if these chemicals are not added in the right concentrations, including vitamins and minerals.
Along with Niacin (Vitamin B3), other vitamins that can be problematic from over addition include  Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin E.  Certain minerals such as iron and zinc can also be a problem if there is excessive intake.

Over dosage can be a problem with gummy vitamins, where kids treat the vitamins like candy.

For food processing operations who add chemicals such as vitamins and minerals, it is important to include this in the hazard analysis.  One needs to evaluate whether a chemical hazard could occur through over addition.


 CBS News
Feds warn against eating some Uncle Ben's rice

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/feds-warn-against-eating-some-uncle-bens-rice/

WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration is warning against eating Uncle Ben's rice products served at schools, restaurants, hospitals and other food service institutions after children in three states had skin reactions and other symptoms that were linked to the rice.

Mars Foodservices, of Rancho Dominguez, Calif., is recalling 5- and 25-pound bags of the rice. The bags are mostly sold to food service establishments, but they are also available to consumers over the Internet and in some warehouse-type retailers.

Uncle Ben's ready-to-eat, boxed, bagged and cup products in grocery stores are not linked to the illnesses and have not been recalled.

The FDA said 34 students and four teachers in Katy, Texas, had experienced burning, itching rashes, headaches and nausea for 30 to 90 minutes after eating the rice on Feb. 6. The symptoms eventually went away.

The agency said it is still investigating the Texas incident. But FDA officials said they found an excess of niacin, also known as vitamin B3, in Uncle Ben's food service rice linked to similar reactions in 25 Illinois school children in December. That incident also prompted a recall, but the Texas illnesses were not related to those previously recalled lots.

The FDA said overexposure to niacin can cause skin reactions, and very large doses can cause indigestion and nausea. Children may be most susceptible, but the agency said the levels of niacin found in the Illinois rice samples probably were not high enough to cause serious health consequences.

Uncle Ben's Infused Rice recalled due to a cluster of illnesses

Mars Foodservice is recalling Uncle Ben’s industrial sized bags (5 lb and 25 lb) of Infused Rice products after Infused Rice Mexican Flavor was linked to a cluster illnesses. The illness appears to be a chemical issue in that the symptoms occur quickly, 30 to 90 minutes after consumption. Symptoms include a red burning/itching rash, headache, nausea, and flushness of the skin. There are three reported outbreaks impacting approximately 70 people, mostly children.

FDA NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Feb. 10, 2014
Media Inquiries: Theresa Eisenman, 301-796-2805, theresa.eisenman@fda.hhs.gov
Consumer Inquiries: 1-888-INFO-FDA
FDA warns against using Uncle Ben’s Infused Rice

Mars Foodservices recalls all lot numbers of Infused Rice linked to recent illness in Texas

Fast Facts

Government officials are investigating a cluster of illnesses associated with Uncle Ben’s Infused Rice Mexican Flavor sold in 5- and 25-pound bags.
Out of an abundance of caution, the FDA is warning food service companies and consumers not to use any Uncle Ben’s Infused Rice products sold in 5- and 25-pound bags.
These products are sold to food service companies that typically distribute to restaurants, schools, hospitals and other commercial establishments. However, the products may be available over the Internet and at warehouse-type retailers.
Food service companies and consumers who have purchased the products should not use the rice, and should return it to their point of purchase or dispose of it.
Uncle Ben’s Brand Ready to Heat, Boxed, Bag or Cup products sold at grocery stores and other retail outlets are not being recalled.

What is the Problem and What is Being Done about the Problem?

The FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local officials have been investigating a cluster of illnesses associated with Uncle Ben’s Infused Rice Mexican Flavor sold in 5- and 25-pound bags.

On Feb. 7, 2014, the FDA’s Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation Network (CORE) was notified of a cluster of illnesses at three public schools in Katy, Texas. Thirty-four students and four teachers experienced burning, itching rashes, headaches and nausea for 30 to 90 minutes, before the symptoms went away. Uncle Ben’s Infused Rice Mexican Flavor with the lot number 351EKGRV01, made by Mars Foodservices of Greenville, Miss., was the common food item eaten by ill students.

On Dec. 4, 2013, the Illinois Department of Public Health notified CDC of 25 children with similar skin reactions following a school lunch that served an Uncle Ben’s Infused Rice product. North Dakota reported a similar incident that occurred on Oct. 30, 2013. Three children in a daycare and one college student experienced flushing reactions 45 minutes after consuming an Uncle Ben’s Infused Rice product.

Subway Restaurants removes dough conditioning chemical azodicarbonamide

Subway is removing azodicarbonamide, a dough conditioning chemical, from its bread formulation. This chemical can be found in bread sold by numerous retailers and foodservice establishments, however Subway was targeted because of its good nutrition stance.

FDA does allow this product to be used in bread applications. From the Code of Federal Regulations:

172.806 Azodicarbonamide.
The food additive azodicarbonamide may be safely used in food in accordance with the following prescribed conditions:
(a) It is used or intended for use:
(1) As an aging and bleaching ingredient in cereal flour in an amount not to exceed 2.05 grams per 100 pounds of flour (0.0045 percent; 45 parts per million).
(2) As a dough conditioner in bread baking in a total amount not to exceed 0.0045 percent (45 parts per million) by weight of the flour used, including any quantity of azodicarbonamide added to flour in accordance with paragraph (a)(1) of this section.
(b) To assure safe use of the additive:
(1) The label and labeling of the additive and any intermediate premix prepared therefrom shall bear, in addition to the other information required by the Act, the following:
(i) The name of the additive.
(ii) A statement of the concentration or the strength of the additive in any intermediate premixes.
(2) The label or labeling of the food additive shall also bear adequate directions for use.

 Much of the hullabaloo made is that for these reasons: 

1) the chemical is also used in non-food applications such as yoga mats……however, you can find that many chemicals used in our foods are also used in non-food applications.

2) a breakdown product of azodicarbonamide is semicarbazide, a potential hazard…… however, that is formed in the formation of plastic bottles and sealants, but any formation in bread is very low risk.

3) The chemical can be hazardous….but only in applications when working with the chemical with the potential of breathing it in in massive doses, not at 45 ppm.

Presented below are two stories, one from CNN and the other from the Huffington Post. Which one provides a more balanced view? Not CNN. As pointed out in the Huffington piece, people will not need to worry. So no need to worry, it is unlikely that Jared will have to worry about his Subway diet.

I guess this is the trend now…to identify any ingredient that has a long, unidentifiable chemical formula name and that is used in some non-food application. How about this one - dihydrogen monoxide is found in a multitude of applications, both food and non-food… including the manufacturer of cleaning compounds. Additionally, it has been involved in deaths, including a woman who died after drinking 6 liters of it in 3 hours. Time for a ban?

It is funny, on one hand, people want more government intervention into making safe food, but on the other hand, they don’t trust what the government, namely FDA and EPA, have done. 


Subway to remove 'dough conditioner' chemical from bread

By Elizabeth Landau, CNN
updated 1:23 PM EST, Thu February 6, 2014
http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/06/health/subway-bread-chemical/

(CNN) -- Take a look at ingredients for some varieties of Subway's bread and you'll find a chemical that may seem unfamiliar and hard to pronounce: azodicarbonamide.

60 Minutes segment "Is Sugar Toxic?"

In case you missed it, here is the 60 Minutes segment on sugar, ‘Is Sugar Toxic?’.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B56Gpf1f5_A

Too much sugar is bad, that is hard to deny. But with consumers having made it such a big component of their diet, will they be willing to change their diet? Hopefully segments like this will get people to think about their diet with the goal of reducing sugar….significantly.

FDA will not ban BPA at this time

The controversy will continue as FDA has decided not to ban BPA from food packaging materials at this time (due to inconclusive evidence). A ban would have had a huge impact on the food supply, as companies rushed to find suitable replacements. Continued study will occur.

U.S. Denies Request to Ban Chemical in Food PackagingBloomberg
By Jack Kaskey - Mar 30, 2012 6:07 PM ETFri Mar 30 22:07:58 GMT 2012

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-30/u-s-denies-request-to-ban-chemical-in-food-and-drink-packaging.html

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration rejected a request to ban a contested chemical from cans and other packaging because opponents didn’t provide enough data to support a rule change. 

Continued study of bisphenol A, known as BPA, including completion of federal studies currently in progress, is the most appropriate course of action, the agency said in an e-mail today. The chemical has been used in epoxy linings since the 1960s to extend the shelf life of canned foods and beverages. 

Manufacturers of baby bottles and cups have stopped using polycarbonate containing BPA in response to consumer concerns it may affect children. Campbell Soup Co. (CPB) is among food makers phasing out the use of BPA, while beverage companies such asCoca-Cola Co. (KO) have kept the chemical, saying it’s safe. 

“The information provided in your petition was not sufficient to persuade FDA, at this time, to initiate rulemaking to prohibit the use of BPA in human food and food packaging,”David H. Horsey, an acting associate FDA commissioner, said today in a letter to the Natural Resources Defense Council. 

NRDC, a New York-based environmental advocacy group, petitioned the FDA in 2008 to ban its use in food and drinks packaging. BPA, produced by combining phenol and acetone, mimics the female hormone estrogen and may affect the brain and prostate gland in fetuses and young children, according to theNational Institutes of Health. 

Quickly Processed 

A ban would hurt profits at can-maker Silgan Holdings Inc. (SLGN)and others in the $60 billion industry, Ghansham Panjabi, an analyst at Robert W. Baird & Co., said before the FDA announcement. The biggest U.S. producer of BPA is Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC), followed by Bayer AG (BAYN) and Dow Chemical Co. (DOW) 

About 4.7 million metric tons of BPA valued at about $8 billion will be produced this year, according to a report by GlobalData, a London-based publisher of business intelligence. Three times as much BPA goes into polycarbonate plastics, used in items ranging from plastic bottles to DVDs, as is used in epoxy resins.

The FDA plans to complete an updated safety review of BPA this year and will make any changes to the chemical’s status based on the science, Douglas Karas, an agency spokesman, said in an e-mail. People of all ages metabolize and rid their bodies of BPA faster than rodents used in studies, he said.

Federally funded research confirms that the human body quickly processes and eliminates BPA, making it “very unlikely” that the chemical causes harm, the American Chemistry Council, a Washington-based industry group, said in a statement today. 

‘Dangerously Off Course’

Sarah Janssen, a senior scientist at the NRDC, said the FDA’s denial of a ban shows “a major overhaul” of chemical regulation is needed. The Environmental Working Group, a Washington-based advocacy group, said consumers can no longer trust the FDA to protect the health of their families. 

“The agency has veered dangerously off course,” Jane Houlihan, the group’s senior vice president for research, said today in a statement. “Pregnant women and new parents should no longer think FDA has their backs.” 

The North American Metal Packaging Alliance, a Washington-based industry group, praised the FDA’s decision. 

“A ban without conclusive scientific evidence of risk would compromise the safety of canned foods and beverages,” John Rost, the alliance’s chairman, said in an e-mailed statement. 

To contact the reporter on this story: Jack Kaskey in Houston at jkaskey@bloomberg.net