Medical professionals in France caution about potential health hazards linked to high levels of heavy metals in everyday commodities such as bread, cereal, and various other food items.
Gabriela GalvinComments Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp
Oh, boy! Brace yourselves, folks. French doctors are raising an alarm about a not-so-friendly element hidden in our food staples. You might be surprised to find out that the cadmium in everyday food items like bread, cereal, potatoes, and vegetables could be giving you more than just your daily nutrients.
Cadmium, a heavy metal, is naturally found in soil and extensively used in phosphate fertilizers. This means that it seeps into the food chain through our beloved crops. Food is the primary way we're exposed to cadmium, although cigarettes aren't far behind.
According to the doctors' letter to the French government (dated June 2), cadmium is one of the most toxic substances out there. And guess who's been consuming more than their fair share of this toxic heavy metal? You've got it— children.
Cadmium has been linked to various health issues, such as pancreatic, lung, prostate, and kidney cancers, heart diseases, fertility problems, kidney damage, neurological issues, and bone disorders.
France's food and environmental safety agency (ANSES) reports that 0.6% of adults' diets exceed safe cadmium levels. However, this percentage jumps to 14% for children between 3 and 17 years old and up to an alarming 36% for toddlers under the age of 3. Yikes!
But there's more. Between 2000 and 2022, Italy reported the most cadmium contamination alerts in the European Union, followed by Spain, Germany, France, and Poland, according to a 2023 study.
The EU has set a maximum cadmium limit of 60 mg/kg in phosphate fertilizers, but individual member states can enforce stricter limits. However, France, a leading consumer of phosphate fertilizer, has not shown much interest in bringing cadmium limits down any further, despite researchers saying the EU's current limit is not enough.
The doctors' group is urging the French government to take action by launching awareness campaigns, changing children's school menus, promoting organic foods (which have lower levels of cadmium), and tracking cadmium exposure levels among at-risk patients.
Interested in more food-related topics? Check out our articles on the real deal about dietary supplements for kids, the benefits (and misconceptions) of coffee and its impact on aging, pan-European limits on sperm 'super donors,' and ways to keep cool during European heatwaves.
Editor's Note
- Current cadmium exposure limits vary by country, food type, and are under scrutiny, particularly in children's diets.
- While the EU has established a maximum cadmium limit of 60 mg/kg in phosphate fertilizers, some countries have stricter limits, and France has been resistant to further regulation, despite scientists advocating for lower thresholds.
- The high cadmium levels in French children's diets have prompted concerns about potential long-term health effects, including cancers, cardiovascular disease, kidney damage, and more.
- Despite the EU setting a maximum cadmium limit in phosphate fertilizers, it appears that France has not shown interest in lowering these limits, a move that could potentially reduce health risks associated with cadmium exposure, such as the increased risk of cancers, heart diseases, and kidney damage, particularly in children.
- In light of the potential health risks posed by excessive cadmium consumption, the doctors' group is advocating for measures such as awareness campaigns, changing children's school menus, promoting organic foods, and tracking cadmium exposure levels among at-risk patients in an attempt to mitigate the harm caused by this heavy metal.
- Beyond food and environmental safety, the issue of cadmium contamination extends to broader aspects of health and wellness, including nutrition, lifestyle, and food and drink choices, as cadmium has been linked to a multitude of medical conditions, such as certain types of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, kidney damage, and neurological issues.
