NYMC Faculty Publications
Food Additives and Child Health--Technical Report
DOI
10.1542/peds.2018-1410
Journal Title
Pediatrics
First Page
e20181410
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
August 2018
Department
Pediatrics
Abstract
Increasing scientific evidence suggests potential adverse effects on children's health from synthetic chemicals used as food additives, both those deliberately added to food during processing (direct) and those used in materials that may contaminate food as part of packaging or manufacturing (indirect). Concern regarding food additives has increased in the past 2 decades in part because of studies that increasingly document endocrine disruption and other adverse health effects. In some cases, exposure to these chemicals is disproportionate among minority and low-income populations. This report focuses on those food additives with the strongest scientific evidence for concern. Further research is needed to study effects of exposure over various points in the life course, and toxicity testing must be advanced to be able to better identify health concerns prior to widespread population exposure. The accompanying policy statement describes approaches policy makers and pediatricians can take to prevent the disease and disability that are increasingly being identified in relation to chemicals used as food additives, among other uses.
Recommended Citation
Trasande, L., Shaffer, R., Sathyanarayana, S., & Council on Environmental Health. (2018). Food Additives and Child Health--Technical Report. Pediatrics, 142 (2), e20181410. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2018-1410
Comments
Heather Brumberg is a member of the Council on Environmental Health.