Why food safety matters to our well-being

Medical practitioners blame adulterants for a host of health complications.

Over the years, doctors and researchers have found that the more toxins we expose ourselves to in our environment and our food chain, the greater the health complications we may face.

Take diabetes for instance – India has 69 million diabetics, as per the International Diabetes Federation’s Atlas 2015. A number of studies have shown, says endocrinologist Jayashree Gopal, that greater use of pesticides increases the prevalence of diabetes. “Acute pesticide exposure can lead to blood sugar shooting up, and chronic or long-term exposure can make an individual more prone to diabetes,” she says. And this is just one among a number of chemicals that we are being exposed to in our daily lives. From shampoos and car fresheners to the plastic boxes in which we store our food, our environment contains an ever-increasing number of what are known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals, Dr. Gopal says. “They enter our system at different levels – you could inhale the fumes of a scent, eat food wrapped in plastic or even have it enter your body through printed receipts that you handle. Even if disposed of, these chemicals leach into the groundwater and re-enter our food chain,” she says.

Pernicious effects

While there have been no long-term human studies as of yet, animal studies have shown that these endocrine-disrupting chemicals can cause a number of problems: thyroid disorders, low sperm count in men and even affect the developing foetus in pregnant women, she says.

Oncologists too say that long-term exposure to chemical carcinogens can lead to cancer, and at times, these chemicals can contaminate food and water.

In immediate cases, adulterants in food or drinks can cause gastric irritation, vomiting, diarrhoea and even jaundice, if they contain an infectious material, says S. Raghunandan, professor of medicine at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.

In the case of adulterated tea for instance , regular intake of tea containing synthetic colour can lead to gastrointestinal diseases, said O.L.S. Vijay, designated officer, FSSAI, Coimbatore.

However, Dr. Raghunandan says how adulterants affect the body can be difficult to predict, as it depends on the substance used and how long a person is exposed to it.