Our team at the Toxicant-Induced Loss of Tolerance (TILT) Program at UT Health San Antonio wanted to share this important external article:
“Cheese Packaged in Plastic May Expose You to Harmful Chemicals” from Beyond Plastics.
Plastic is made of chemicals and fossil fuels. Plastic is stable but not inert, which means that when plastic is used to package food, chemicals contained in the plastic may leach into what we eat — especially dairy products. This process is called “chemical migration” and occurs constantly, even at room temperature … Researchers have identified approximately 16,000 chemicals that are used in the manufacture of plastic. Nearly half of these have never been tested for human safety.
Two plastics commonly used to wrap cheeses include low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), both of which contain carcinogens and endocrine disruptors that have been observed to migrate … Individually wrapped cheese slices, which have a high surface-to-volume ratio, are also consumed in large quantities by children, and are likely to have an especially high burden of chemical leaching.
This issue is important for people who suffer from chemical intolerance (CI), said Dr. Claudia Miller, allergist/immunologist, professor emeritus, and leader of the Hoffman TILT Program at UT Health San Antonio.
How can you find out if you are chemically intolerant?
Answer these three questions from Hoffman TILT’s Brief Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory (BREESI):
- Do you feel sick when you are exposed to tobacco smoke, certain fragrances, nail polish/remover, engine exhaust, gasoline, air fresheners, pesticides, paint/thinner, fresh tar/asphalt, cleaning supplies, new carpet or furnishings? By sick, we mean: headache, difficulty thinking, difficulty breathing, weakness, dizziness, upset stomach, etc.
- Are you unable to tolerate or do you have adverse or allergic reactions to any drugs or medications (such as antibiotics, anesthetics, pain relievers, X-ray contrast dye, vaccines or birth control pills), or to an implant, prosthesis, contraceptive chemical or device, or other medical/surgical/dental material or procedure?
- Are you unable to tolerate or do you have adverse reactions to any foods such as dairy products, wheat, corn, eggs, caffeine, alcoholic beverages, or food additives (e.g., MSG, food dye)?
If you answer YES to any question, take the Quick Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory (QEESI) and share the results with your doctor!