Current:Home > StocksGeneral Mills faces renewed calls to remove plastic chemicals from food-LoTradeCoin
General Mills faces renewed calls to remove plastic chemicals from food
View Date:2024-12-23 22:20:12
Consumer Reports is continuing to sound the alarm on plastic chemicals in food, with the advocacy group again targeting General Mills for producing a range of products found to contain risky and unintended ingredients.
Advocates on Thursday delivered a petition signed by more than 30,000 to General Mills' headquarters in Golden Valley, Minnesota, calling on the company to address potentially hazardous plastic chemicals in its food.
At issue are plasticizers, a chemical that makes plastic more flexible and resilient, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Studies have linked the substances to potential health risks including interfering with the production of estrogen and hormones, and diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and birth defects.
"Given that steady exposure to even very small amounts of these chemicals over time could increase health risks, we urge Annie's and General Mills to immediately take the necessary steps to monitor and eliminate the presence of these chemicals across all of your brands," the petition stated.
Thursday's event follows tests by Consumer Reports earlier this year of 85 different foods. It found the highest concentration of phthalates — the most commonly used plasticizer — in a canned plastic product made by Annie's Homegrown, an organic brand owned by General Mills. In addition to Annie's Organic Cheesy Ravioli, other General Mills products found to contain the plasticizer included the Yoplait, Cheerios, Green Giant and Progresso brands.
In a letter sent to the company in February, Consumer Reports also alerted General Mills to "concerning" levels of phthalates in several of its products.
"We did test a variety of foods, and some of the highest concentrations were in General Mills' products," Brian Ronholm, director of food policy for Consumer Reports, told CBS MoneyWatch. The company needs to identify the source of the chemicals, which could stem from products supplied by third parties or during its production processes, Ronholm said.
Plastic chemicals wind up in food primarily through packaging and exposure to plastic and tubing, with conveyor belts and plastic gloves possible culprits, Ronholm noted.
"Food safety is our top priority at General Mills. All our products adhere to regulatory requirements, and we review our ingredients, packaging and suppliers on a regular basis to ensure quality," a spokesperson for the company said in an email.
Plastic chemicals are nearly impossible to avoid, but consumers can limit their exposure by using glass instead of plastic storage containers and water bottles, Ronholm said. "There are no regulatory requirements at this point," said Ronholm, who also urged federal regulators to devise rules covering the substances.
Kate GibsonKate Gibson is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch in New York, where she covers business and consumer finance.
veryGood! (2787)
Related
- What’s the secret to growing strong, healthy nails?
- Vanessa Hudgens' Wedding Day Beauty Plans Are a Breath of Fresh Air
- The Ghost in Your Phone
- Here’s Why TikTok Is So Obsessed With e.l.f. Makeup — and Why You Will Be, Too
- 'Joker 2' actor pans DC sequel as the 'worst film' ever: 'It has no plot'
- Tonga volcano eruption put holes in the atmosphere, sent plasma bubbles to space and disrupted satellites
- Inside Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth's Drama-Free Decision to Divorce
- Car rushes through Vatican gate, police fire at tires before arresting driver
- Giuliani’s lawyers after $148M defamation judgment seek to withdraw from his case
- Ulta 24-Hour Flash Sale: Take 50% Off It Cosmetics, Benefit Cosmetics, Exuviance, Buxom, and More
Ranking
- Fire crews on both US coasts battle wildfires, 1 dead; Veterans Day ceremony postponed
- Ulta 24-Hour Flash Sale: Take 50% Off Too Faced, Crepe Erase, Smashbox, Murad, Bobbi Brown, and Clinique
- Pentagon, Justice Department investigate as secret military documents appear online
- AI-generated text is hard to spot. It could play a big role in the 2024 campaign
- 'He's driving the bus': Jim Harbaugh effect paying dividends for Justin Herbert, Chargers
- 'Street Fighter 6' takes bold swings that (mostly) pay off
- Photos show Kim Jong Un and his daughter inspecting military spy satellite
- Ed Sheeran Reflects on His Grief Journey in Moving New Song Eyes Closed
Recommendation
-
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones responds to CeeDee Lamb's excuse about curtains at AT&T Stadium
-
Chill out as a fantasy barista in 'Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus and Butterfly'
-
Baby dies, dozens feared dead after hippo charges and capsizes canoe on river in Malawi
-
Hayden Panettiere Shares What Really Hurts About Postpartum Struggles
-
Saks Fifth Avenue’s holiday light display in Manhattan changing up this season
-
Ariana Madix Shares Thoughts on Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss After VPR Reunion
-
Andrew Lloyd Webber's Son Nick Dead at 43 After Cancer Battle
-
Mitch Landrieu is Biden's man to rebuild America and deliver broadband to millions