Provided by: www.ewg.org
There is no single definitive source of information on the toxic effects of pesticides and common industrial chemicals. In fact, according to the EPA, reliable toxicity data exist for only 43% of the 75,000 chemicals currently in common use today. In addition, less than 7 percent of all chemicals in high volume commerce can be considered thoroughly studied, according to the EPA.
Fortunately, pesticides and toxic chemicals routinely found in food are among the most well studied pollutants. What this information tells us, however, is that we should purge these compounds from the food supply whenever possible.
All toxicity classifications in All You Can Eat are based on determinations made by the U.S. EPA, the State of California, Casarett & Doull's Toxicology: The Basic Science of Poisons, and other scientific sources. A more detailed explanation of the various toxic effects as well as the toxicity of different food contaminants can be found at the many different links provided in AYCE. For more information on health effect classification, see the Environmental Defense Fund's Environmental Scorecard.
More From the EWG Food News:
Pesticides in Produce
Most Contaminated
Least Contaminated
Should I Stop Eating Certain Foods?
What about washing?
How We Measured Contamination
Why Reducing Pesticide Exposure is Smart
Doesn't the Government Regulate These Chemicals?
Are These Chemicals Bad For Me?
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