00:02

Colourful, hygenic and nicely packaged. Supermarket food is similar wherever you look in the world. From Shanghai to Berlin and Paris – the same products are shipped around the world and made to last as long as possible. For consumers it’s very practical.

 

00:28

But food scientists are sounding the alarm bells. The packaging often contains dangerous toxins which can enter the food chain. And only a few of them are known to us.

 

00:42

O-Ton

Dr. Konrad Grob

Lebensmittelchemiker

Chimiste  de l’alimentation

 

I estimate that in total various types of packaging contain about 100 000 substances in a concentration that could well be relevant.

 

00:53

Food packaging a danger for our health?

 

00:56

TITEL – A food safety scandal uncovered.

 

01:18

Like most Europeans, Stephanie Bloch goes shopping about three times a week. The French mother of two works a full time job and therefore has to organize her time carefully. In this supermarket she knows she can find everything she needs in one place. It saves time and it’s convenient and that’s also the reason why she chooses products with a long use by date.

 

What she doesn’t know is that the colourful and convenient packaging poses a health risk.

Many jars, cartons and plastic wrappers contain harmful toxins that can seep into the food it is meant to protect. Only few of these toxins are known to us and only few have been tested for their possible effects on human health.

 

 

02:12

An expert for the so called transmigrating toxins is the toxicologist Dr. Marike Kolossa from the Federal Environmental Agency. Her specialist area are: phthalates. They are most commonly used in industry to make plastic packaging soft, flexible and durable. These softeners are a serious health risk. They have not only been found in packaging but also in children’s toys and subsequently in children. The Federal Environmental Agency was alarmed the result of a study conducted with some 2000 children. To find out where the phthalates come from various foods were also tested for  softeners.

 

 

02:52

O-Ton

Dr. Marike Kolossa-Gehring

Toxikologin – Umweltbundesamt

Toxicologue -  Office fédéral de  l’environnement

 

We measured increased phthalates levels in pesto and Asian sauces, also in rolls that are eaten with chocolate-hazelnut spreads. And we also found elevated levels in gummi bears and

other gelatine-based candy. We even found phthalates in milk, including organic milk. And so we suspect it got in there via the packaging.

 

03:34

So what effects can these phthalates have on the human body?

 

03:37

O-Ton

Dr. Marike Kolossa-Gehring

Toxikologin – Umweltbundesamt

Toxicologue -  Office fédéral de  l’environnement

 

“Phthalates mainly work like hormones and so they can disrupt the hormonal functions of the body.”

 

 

 

 

 

03:44

To find out more about what this means we travel to Denmark.  Scientists at Copenhagen’s university clinic have been studying the effects of softeners on the human body for 20 years. The Andrologist Dr. Jörgensen has proven that phthalates work much like female hormones which leads to a significant hormonal imbalance not only in males.

 

The scientists began their research after they started to notice a significant rise in infertility among male patients. As part of an independent survey the analysis of more than 10.000 sperm samples showed some shocking results. Almost half of the men in the study had such poor quality sperm that they were infertile. The number of infertile men in Europe is on the rise. A typical phenomenon is that of sperm swim around in circles thereby missing their target. Scientists believe the men were born infertile.

 

05:02

O-Ton

Dr. Niels Jørgensen

Androloge – Uni-Klinik Kopenhagen

Andrologue -  Clinique Universitaire de Copenhague

 

Some of these phthalates and other things...the pregnant woman get it into her body. And while it is in her body, it gets into her foetus, the unborn child and it impairs the development of the testicles – so they do not develop properly. And if that happens, then we see the fact that there are too few of the very, very early germ-cells and the supporting-cells developed and that leads to a reduced sperm number later in life.

05:38

Phthalates are particularly dangerous for young women of child-bearing age and small children.

Stephanie wants her sons to eat healthy. She rarely gives them candy, but when she does, she has no way of knowing whether the packaging is safe or not.  

 

05:59

O-Ton

Stephanie Bloch

Berufstätige Mutter

Mère exerçant une activité professionnelle

 

On this packet it just says “ the packaging is environmentally sustainable”. Nothing else.

 

06:12

Kids love chocolate-hazlenut spreads. But the German Environment Agency has found high levels of DEHP in some of them. DEHP is considered the most dangerous phthalate. Ferrero the makers of Nutella also found softeners in its product. But the company insists the levels are perfectly safe. One would have to eat a lot of Nutella for the phthalates to have a health impact. But scientists agree DEHP can cause infertility. That’s why it’s been banned in toys.

 

 

 

 

06:59

Why this toxin hasn’t been banned in packaging is a mystery. A study by the Federal Envirnoment Agency shows that many children have traces of this particularly dangerous softener in their body.  

The study involved 600 children, every one of which had traces of softeners in their urin.

 

7.25 O-Ton

Dr. Marike Kolossa-Gehring

Toxikologin – Umweltbundesamt

Toxicologue -  Office fédéral de  l’environnement

“They must be banned because in all children tested in Germany we found Stoffwechselprodukte of five important phthalates, this means they’ve become ubiquitous in children. And 20 per cent of children had individual phthalates in their bodies in concentrations which we believe to be toxicologically dangerous. If you consider that a number of phthalates can have a cumulative effect then it’s possible that up to 80 per cent of children have more phthalates in them that toxicologists would say is harmless.”

 

08:04

We are basically all affected by phthalates. The Eurpean parliament has been slow to introduce the necessary bans. But as lawmakers lack the expertise a special agency has been created.

 

 

08:25

It’s called the Euorpean Chemicals Agency ECHA. It regulates the approval and limitation of chemicals within the EU. So called Reach lists have been created. Questionable substances like DEHP are registered on that list. The goal is to make DEHP disappear from the market across Europe by October of 2012. But for such individual bans to be effective the chemicals industry must step up to the challenge of developing safe alternatives. So far the results have been lacking. The EU environment commission is concerned.

 

09:13

O-Ton

Joe Hennon

Sprecher der europäischen Umweltkommission

Porte-parole de la Commission Européenne de l’Environnement

 

We have a number of priorities this year. Environmental infringements in general, but also chemicals in particular. And we are not happy at the moment with the number of chemicals which have been tested and which are in the Annexes. And that means to be looked at seriously.

 

09:29

The companies have now been forced to test new chemicals at their own expense. Only after testing will they be approved for the European market. This is complicated and expensive, and that’s why there are only very few applications to register new products.

 

09:46

O-Ton

Joe Hennon

Sprecher der europäischen Umweltkommission

Porte-parole de la Commission Européenne de l’Environnement

 

It's quite low at the moment. We have to make sure, Reach does the things, that it was indented to do. Things in the EU do take a long time. You can't argue against that. It’s always when you have got 27 member states, you've got a European Parliament, you've got a European Commission. It's complicated. It can be bureaucratic, it can be technocratic, it’s a complicated issue, you’ve got lots of different national administrations, national legislations, different cultures. You have the industry-lobby.

 

 

10:21

The world’s biggest chemicals company, BASF, banned the production of DEHP in Europe years ago. According to the company there is very little demand for the chemical in Europe. It’s a different story though in Asia, where BASF continues produces the controversial softener which remains the most widespread softener on the Asian market. Much of our packaging is produced in China and hence also most DEHP. Chinese companies also produce the softener in large amounts. The Hangzhou Nature Organic Chemicals company is one example. The company mainly makes phthalates. What looks so clean here, can be very dangerous to human health.

 

 

This chemical is so dangerous that the Chinese authorities have banned its use in animal feed and food production. The company sells 90 percent of its products in China. It’s customers are companies that primarily export their goods to Europe. 

 

 

11:41

This company that makes plastic wrap for example. Soft, see-through and hygienic.  Softeners are a just one of many migrating toxins hiding in the shelves of our supermarkets.

Plastic wrapping can also contain Bisphenol A – known as BPA. It makes the packaging durable and protects the food from rust / oxidation ???. It is suspected of causing heart disease and metabolic disease and of damaging the brain. Particularly high levels of BPA can be released from packaging into food when both are heated in the microwave.

 

12:19

O-Ton

Stephanie Bloch

Berufstätige Mutter

Mère exerçant une activité professionnelle

 

My oldes son is five. He has allergies. And I ask myself whether it could come from toxins in packaging? The baby bottles I used to feed him with were found to contain BPA. And we even warmed them up in the microwave. He was exposed to it all the time. We have to wait and see how he turns out now?

 

 

12:49

Consumers mostly only find out about the dangers when it’s too late. In May 2010 France banned the use of BPA in baby bottles. But that’s no use to Stephanie’s oldest son.

And BPA continues to seeps into many foods, not just baby food. Everyday we put things in our mouth that are made of plastic. What can consumers do?

 

13:18

O-Ton

Stephanie Bloch

Berufstätige Mutter

Mère exerçant une activité professionnelle

 

Of course I’ve changed my behaviour. I don’t heat things up in the microwave anymore. I use a cettle instead. Now they make bottles and pacifiers that free of bisphenol. But can you really trust them? We just follow the trend, it’s also a question of what’s fashionable.

 

 

13:42

Dennmark is the only country in Europe to have banned BPA in all children’s food packaging. The rest of Europe is still discussing the possible health risks of BPA.

 

 

 

 

 

13:55

Dr. Eric Houdeau and Dr. Jean-Pierre Cravedi of the Europea Institute for Food Safety INRA in Toulouse are already convinced that BPA is dangerous. They found out through animal tests that the chemical can enter our organs and prevent the growth of immune cells. Our immune system becomes vulnerable. The chemicals also enter our body through our skin. In their tests the scientists compared mice exposed to BPA with others that live in a BPA-free environment. The result was that the BPA mice were more susceptible to germs. Animals were most at risk when exposed to the chemicals in the womb. The substance reaches the fetus and blocks its development of immune cells. This can even result in a genetic change. Tests with human cells have confirmed the research findings.

 

15:03

O-Ton

Dr. Eric Houdeau

Zellforscher – INRA ToxAlim Center

Chercheur au Pôle de toxicologie alimentaire de l'INRA de Toulouse

 

On the innerskin of our organs there are cells that ensure that germs do not reach our organs. BPA hems the growth of such cells in embryos. Their organs are unable to differenciate between safe and dangerous bacteria. The entire warning system collapses and our body can fall victim to germs. The immune system is unable to develop beyond that of a newborn.

 

 

 

15:31

This means our body is no longer able to protect us from dangerous bacteria and illnesses.

Scientists know this but the long-term effects of a prologued intake of BPA are yet unknown.

 

15:49

O-Ton

Dr. Eric Houdeau

Zellforscher – INRA ToxAlim Center

Chercheur au Pôle de toxicologie alimentaire de l'INRA de Toulouse

 

The life span of an animal isn’t long enough for us to learn how devastating the effects of Bisphenol A might be on humans in the long term. We are exposed to such substances throughout our life, whereas the test animals are only exposed a few weeks or months.

 

16:08

For scientists it’s clear: BPA can cause lasting damage to our immune system. The transmigrating toxin can be anywhere. For example in canned food like this. Scientsists examined various foods to see how much Bisphenol A is in them.

 

 

16:34

O-Ton

Dr. Eric Houdeau

Zellforscher – INRA ToxAlim Center

Chercheur au Pôle de toxicologie alimentaire de l'INRA de Toulouse

 

Bisphenol is in the white wax layer that coats the inside of the aluminium cans. It is used to keep them airtight. Most foods are sterilized by heating them up before they are canned. When the hot food touches the plastic coating of the can the highest levels of bishenol are released into the food. Like in the case of this can of corn.

 

17:13

With every spoon of canned mais we are eating bisphenol. It should be a clear cut case for the authorites. The French agency for food safety and consumer protection has been tasked to find out if European consumers need to be protected from BPA. Professor Marie Favrot believes they don’t.

 

17:40

O-Ton

Prof. Marie-Christine Favrot

Gesundheits- und Ernährungsrisikobewertung – AFSSA

Directrice de l’évaluation des risques nutritionnels et sanitaires de l’AFSSA

 

We only accept the studies from toxicologists who conduct very careful research using internationally recognized methods. The few studies that have been conducted in accordance with these principles have found no evidence of a link between BPA and health problems. Let me be clear: at present according to strict scientific studies there is no evidence to support the claim that BPA is harmful to human health.

18:18

O-Ton

Dr. Eric Houdeau

Zellforscher – INRA ToxAlim Center

Chercheur au Pôle de toxicologie alimentaire de l'INRA de Toulouse

 

We scientists – whether we’re here in France or in the US – we publish all our studies in international journals. Every one of us is an expert in his or her area. We systematically tested different animal groups, growing up with and without BPA. The differences were sufficient to prove that BPA is a health hazard. What more do we need?

 

18:44

But who is responsible for the fact that independent, state subsidised surveys are not recognized?

 

18:55

O-Ton Marie

Prof. Marie-Christine Favrot

Gesundheits- und Ernährungsrisikobewertung – AFSSA

Directrice de l’évaluation des risques nutritionnels et sanitaires de l’AFSSA

 

They are analysed and assessed by the national and European authorities at the same time. The European Institutions make the decisions and so do the national ministries.

 

 

19:03

But we want to know who exactly has the final say?

 

19:14

O-Ton

Prof. Marie-Christine Favrot

Gesundheits- und Ernährungsrisikobewertung – AFSSA

Directrice de l’évaluation des risques nutritionnels et sanitaires de l’AFSSA

 

Turn off the camera. No! Turn off the camera.

 

19:17

France of all nations, having put so much money into researching the risks of BPA, is also the country that is blocking an EU ban. How is this possible?

 

Chemical giants like Bayer also don’t see a risk.

Bayer refers us to the lobby group “Plastics Europe”. Industry itself has commissioned 14 separate studies. The result each time: BPA poses no risk. They contradict no less than 153 publicly financed studies which concluded that there is a health risk. The EU quite clearly prefers to put its trust in industry. Bisphenol A continues to be legal in Europe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

20:03

Most plastic packaging is made in China. EU regulations don’t apply here of course. And clearly production costs are so low here that it is even profitable to import disposable packaging to Europe all the way from China. Presentation is everything, nobody cares what ingredients the plastic packaging contains. It is impossible to test all products for BPAs. Manufacturers are not legally required to name the chemicals used. All this is carried out without regard for consumers. The BPA toxin is hidden in hard plastic packaging and disposable cutlery.

But these are not the only controversial transmigrating toxins lingering in packaging there are many more. Scientists have not yet examined all of them. It’s also unknown which cumulative effect they may have. But one thing is clear already. A lot of our modern packaging contains a cocktail of chemicals that could carry a high risk. 

 

21:12

Stephanie Bloch is looking for alternative foods for her children. She buys more and more organic products. They too are now common in most supermarkets and their packaging often resembles the conventional products.

 

21:31

O-Ton

Stephanie Bloch

Berufstätige Mutter

Mère exerçant une activité professionnelle

 

 

 

With organic products I have just as much packaging to throw away. Plastic, card board – there’s a lot of waste and I have to throw away a lot of it. I think that’s a shame. I would like to be able to buy organic products at a reasonable price. But even these fruit are fully wrapped in plastic and carton. Everything is wrapped, I don’t like it at all.

 

22:04

But Stephanie’s young family has no real choice. She doesn’t have the time to prepare everything fresh. And so she ends up making this organic rice which is packaged like every other in a plastic bag. Manufactuers don’t seem bothered that dangerous toxins from the plastic may be seeping into the rice. It is prepared quickly and the children like it. All that remains are the foils, hard plastic and cardboard. A lot of it can be recycled and turned into new food packaging.

 

22:55

Some 600 tonnes of paper are collected at this recycling point every day. Color printed paper, cigarett packets, lots of things that should never come in contact with food. It would take a lot of chemicals ot get the printing colours out of the paper, but that would be much too expensive. And so the traces of colour remain in the paper.

 

23:24

Switzerland is the first country to address the problem.

Here in Zurich scientists are analysing the ingredients of this recycled cardboard. Every day they buy supermaket foods to check the packaging for harmful chemicals.

 

The food chemist Dr. Konrad Grob is an expert for cardboard packaging. He is has found that recycles cardboard bears a particularly high risk of being contaminated with toxic chemicals that can enter the food.

 

23:58

O-Ton

Dr. Konrad Grob

Lebensmittelchemiker

Chimiste  de l’alimentation

 

You rip open the carton, tearing it diagonally like this so that you can see the inside.  You see this white layer and under it gray, that’s the recycled material. And in this case even the back of the carton is made of recycled material.

 

Cardboard packaging bears two possible risks. First there’s the print colour on the carton and then there’s the old print colour from the recycled carton which is of course still present in the new packaging. Newspaper print for example consists of several parts per million of mineral oil and this ends up in the recycled packaging and from there it can potentially end up in the food.

 

24:58      

So far packaging can only be tested for its mineral oil content in Switzerland. It’s a complicated test, but the only way to keep a check on industry.

 

 

 

 

25:08

O-Ton

Dr. Konrad Grob

Lebensmittelchemiker

Chimiste  de l’alimentation

 

There is a toxicological evaluation for such mineral oils which is some 20 years old and what we’ve noticed is that the toxin levels which we consider to be safe are often exceeded 10 fold and sometimes even 100 fold. In such cases it’s our job to warn people because it’s unacceptable.

 

25:33

Recycled packaging often contains mineral oil that consumers can end up absorbing. The problem is that printing colors often contain phthalates.

 

25:43

Experts estimate that these colours can contain at least 6000 different substances. An alarming figure for the Swiss consumer protection agency and reason enough to act. The agency now carries out regular checks. And since January 2010 Switzerland has stricter regulations concerning food packaging than the EU.

 

26:06

O-Ton

Dr. Rolf Etter

Leiter des Kantonalen Labors, Zürich

Directeur  du Laboratoire cantonal, Zürich

 

Switzerland is unique in regulating the use of printing colours in food packaging.

There are lists of substances which are allowed because they are considered safe and of substances which are controversial and need further testing.

 

26:24

Toxic printing colours are banned in Switzerland…So has food packaging actually become safer there? Europe’s biggest packaging manufactuer Mayr-Melnhof tells us in a written statement, quote:

“Our products fulfil the guidelines of all the countries they are made for and we only use approved printing colours.” 

 

Unfortunately consumers can not check this, as nobody writes on the packaging which kind of print was used to make it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

27:01

O-Ton

Dr. Konrad Grob

Lebensmittelchemiker

Chimiste  de l’alimentation

 

Obviously companies are competing for attention with their packaging and so they use plenty of printing colour and paint.

We also analysed other components and found that the most eye-catching packaging is often the most contaminated. Of course it’s a paradox that what consumers are most attracted to should be the most harmful for them.

 

27:30