Preschool Children At High Risk For Exposure To Food-Borne Toxins

U.S. researchers who measured exposure to food-borne toxins among children and families that preschool children in families were at high risk for exposure to arsenic, dieldrin, DDE (a DDT metabolite), dioxins and acrylamide – compounds that have been linked to cancer, developmental disabilities and birth defects. All 364 children in the study – 207 preschool children aged two yo seven and 157 children aged five to seven – exceeded cancer benchmarks for arsenic, dieldrin, DDE and dioxins. Ninety-five percent of preschool children exceeded non-cancer risk levels for acrylamide, a cooking byproduct often found in processed foods like potato and tortilla chips.