Food additives and child health

Leonardo Trasande, Rachel M. Shaffer, Sheela Sathyanarayana

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

95 Scopus citations

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.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere20181410
JournalPediatrics
Volume142
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2018
Externally publishedYes

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