Proposition 65 is the California law that requires a label on any product containing "known carcinogens" or chemicals that could be a reproductive hazard. Multitudes of warning labels litter the California landscape, since virtually any chemical, natural or synthetic, can probably be either toxic or carcinogenic. But now, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) wants even more labeling.
Proposition 65 is the California law that requires a label on any product containing "known carcinogens" or chemicals that could be a reproductive hazard. Multitudes of warning labels litter the California landscape, since virtually any chemical, natural or synthetic, can probably be either toxic or carcinogenic. But now, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) wants even more labeling.
CSPI is indignant because the FDA has been urging California regulators not to require a warning label on foods containing acrylamide the chemical Swedish scientists recently found in carbohydrate-rich foods that are cooked at high temperature. Although no data have demonstrated that acrylamide is carcinogenic in humans, CSPI thinks that since it has been shown to be so in high-dose rodent tests, people should shun it. Thus, CSPI wants Cheerios labeled, while Rice Krispies are not. And of course, those foods that CSPI loves to hate, like French fries and chips, should certainly merit a warning.
Maybe someone needs to tell the (undoubtedly well-meaning) folks at CSPI that cancer from French fries and chips is not leading the pack of serious causes of disease in the United States. But I don't think it will help. Sometimes it seems that they will only be satisfied when Americans are afraid of most foods in the grocery store.
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Responses:
October 1, 2003
I have a comment to make with regards to acrylamide in foods. I fully support your stance that it should not be such a scare as the news media and the California state legislature would have us believe.
As a scientist, though, I have done some collaborative work in this field of study with several labs, including some in Germany, Italy, and here in the USA. One recent study from an FDA lab in Kansas City found extremely high levels of acrylamide in substances that had not seen high temperatures. This lab has found graham crackers (baked at lower temperatures than oil frying) and prune juice (which sees only low pasteurization temperature) to contain extremely high levels of acrylamide.
I just wanted to pass this information on to you.
Bruce E. Richter, Ph.D.
Manager
Dionex, SLCTC
ACSH replies:
Dear Dr. Richter:
What does "extremely high levels" mean in this context? Have the levels of acrylamide you refer to been implicated in the genesis of any health problems, even in test animals? How about in humans? These are the key questions.
Levels higher than those seen in, say, bread or potato chips may warrant testing, both toxicological and (to the degree possible) epidemiological. The latter would possibly require dietary recall studies correlated with clinical histories, imprecise as these are. But to imply that we should be fearful of these levels (which "extremely high levels" might suggest) without such evidence is unwarranted at this time.
Gilbert Ross, M.D.
Medical Director, ACSH
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