Jackson Free Press

This is a scary article. It talks about a chemical in food packaging that causes cancer and all kinds of fun things that Dupont knew about, but neglected to inform the FDA when they found it was coming off the wrapper and being ingested in larger amounts than they originally thought.

Could a Teflon chemical widely used in fast-food packages, candy wrappers, and microwave popcorn bags pose a health hazard?...

Glen Evers, a 22-year veteran of DuPont, tells ABC News that DuPont failed to tell the FDA of internal studies showing that the chemical coating comes off food wrapping in greater concentrations than thought when the FDA first approved its use.

The chemical is widely used in the paper wrapping for fast foods such as french fries and pizza, as well as candy wrappers, microwave popcorn bags and other products. It helps to prevent grease stains from coming through the wrapper.

"You don't see it, you don't feel it, you can't taste it," Evers says. "But when you open that bag … and you start dipping your French fries in there, you are extracting fluorchemical … and you're eating it."

Once in the body, the chemical — zonyl — can break down into a chemical called PFOA. PFOA stays in the blood, a fact that was unknown when zonyl was first approved for use. The government says PFOA is now believed to be in the blood of nearly every American.

The last line of the article says a lot about corporate America...

DuPont thinks that they have pollution rights to the blood of every American, every man, woman and child in the United States," says Evers.

And why wouldn't they?

Previous Comments

ID

103663

Comment

this was a disturbing story and had good comments before the crash, but another disturbing thought. bleached white paper, water, coffee. The paper is a filter? For what? Whatever, I am drinking my chemicals sincei am dependent on them.

Author

*SuperStar*

Date

2005-11-29T08:07:33-06:00

ID

103664

Comment

Superstar, get a French Press coffee maker. Easy as pie, and no filters to worry about.

Author

kate

Date

2005-11-29T10:21:20-06:00

ID

103665

Comment

I JUST BOUGHT A $5 COFFEE MAKER, I WILL ASK FOR ONE FOR CHRISTMAS

Author

*SuperStar*

Date

2005-11-29T10:29:35-06:00

ID

103666

Comment

Wait, you mean my coffee is KILLING ME? Do you think if I quit smoking I can drink coffee? Its all about trade-offs as far as I am concerned. ;)

Author

Lori G

Date

2005-11-30T08:38:11-06:00

ID

103667

Comment

I think the cigarettes do more harm to your body than a year's worth of coffee filters. Stop the smoking. You'll live longer and be able to annoy that many more people.

Author

kate

Date

2005-11-30T09:12:22-06:00

ID

103668

Comment

Yeah, I know. I was joking. Today is DAY THREE with no cigarette. :)

Author

Lori G

Date

2005-11-30T09:20:37-06:00