Seven Ingredients Not Safe for Humans, but Fine For Americans

The European Union has stringent regulations banning or restricting various substances in food and personal care products due to safety concerns, while these same substances are still commonly used in the United States. Here is a list of several substances banned for safety reasons in the EU but not restricted in the USA:

1. Titanium Dioxide (E171): Banned in European food since 2022 due to potential health risks[11][12][13][14][15], but remains a common whitening agent in American candies. Titanium dioxide (E171), is a whitening agent used in many American candies[6]. Studies on animal models have shown that E171 can cause the appearance of pre-cancerous cells in the colon and other effects in the body[14]. Once ingested, E171 nanoparticles can accumulate in the liver, spleen, placenta, and fetus[14]. They can also pass through the oral mucosa to reach the bloodstream before being absorbed in the intestine, potentially affecting cell regeneration in the oral cavity[14]. The European Food Safety Authority concluded in 2021 that titanium dioxide can no longer be considered safe as a food additive, as genotoxicity concerns could not be ruled out[12][15].

2. Azodicarbonamide: Prohibited in Europe and Australia due to its potential to degrade into a carcinogenic component, yet still used in the US. Azodicarbonamide is a flour-bleaching agent prohibited in Europe and Australia for its potential to degrade into a carcinogenic component, yet still used in the US[7][16]. Azodicarbonamide has been linked to respiratory issues and the additive may alter neurobehavior[17][18].

3. Parabens and Propylparaben: Banned in Europe for use as an antimicrobial preservative due to concerns about its effects on fertility and the endocrine system. Propylparaben is an antimicrobial preservative used in cosmetics and food which is still permitted in the US[8][27][28]. Research has demonstrated that parabens can mimic estrogen and disrupt hormonal balance[25][26]. They are linked to reproductive problems yet are permitted in the US while being banned in the EU.

4. rBST/rBGH: Bovine somatotropin, a hormone used to enhance milk production in dairy cows, banned in Europe since the 1990s due to concerns about its association with cancer. The hormone rBST/rBGH is still allowed in American dairy products[9][19][20].

5. Formaldehyde: Formaldehyde-releasing agents are banned in cosmetics in the EU but not in the US, found in hair-straightening treatments and nail polish in the US[10][21][22].

6. Coal Tar Dyes: Found in American cosmetics despite being banned in the EU and Canada[23][24]. These substances highlight the disparity in chemical regulations between the EU and the US, where the EU adopts a precautionary principle to ensure higher environmental and health protection through preventative decision-making, while the US has less stringent regulations and a higher burden of proof for harm before taking regulatory action[1][2][3].

7. BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole): BHA, a synthetic antioxidant used as a preservative in food and cosmetics, is banned in the EU due to concerns about its potential carcinogenic effects. Despite this, it remains permitted in the US, where it is commonly found in processed foods and personal care products. Studies suggest that BHA may disrupt endocrine function and has been linked to adverse reproductive effects. Despite the bans in other regions, BHA is still allowed in the US, where it is used in various food products such as cereals, snack mixes, and meats, as well as in cosmetics. The FDA considers BHA to be possibly carcinogenic to humans, classifying it in Group 2B by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)[29][30][31].

The US considers the precautionary principle to be for “panzies and conspiracy fruit bats” and instead uses the “Can’t Prove it! Neener Neener Neener!” system[32], whereby until such time as a one or more consumers can get lawsuits to stick of such size that they exceed the profits generated by a particular hazardous ingredient or product, the product or ingredient is deemed “safe and effective”™ for another few decades. Note that under this system, if a cheaper-to-produce alternative product which can replace the lawsuit generating “safe and effective”™ product is found, the company will pull the original product, “out of an abundance of caution”™ within a few years, because they care deeply about consumer health, and so on.

These disparities highlight the differing regulatory approaches between the two regions. The EU generally adopts a precautionary principle, prioritizing preventative decision-making to ensure higher environmental and health protection, while the US has historically taken a more lenient stance, requiring a higher burden of proof for harm before imposing restrictions[1][2][3].

While it would be awesome if the above seven were the only ingredients of concern, a few others allowed by the US but which are banned or are “facing scrutiny” in the EU include:

^{BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene), Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO), Calcium Propionate (E282), Chlorine Dioxide, Olestra, Potassium Bromate, Potassium Phosphate, Potassium Sorbate (E202), Propylene Glycol, Propylparaben (E216), Red 40, Sodium Benzoate (E211), Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, Titanium Dioxide (E171), Trisodium Phosphate, Yellow 5}

Is that it? Well, let’s put it this way, there are more than 10,000 food additives approved for use in the United States[33][34]. This number has increased significantly over the decades, rising from around 800 in the 1950s to over 10,000 today[35][36].

Experts, including Professor Erik Millstone from the University of Sussex, express concerns that the lax regulations in the U.S. may contribute to health issues, including cancer, that could be mitigated by stricter standards similar to those in Europe. For example, potassium bromate, a common dough strengthener in the U.S., is banned in several countries due to its potential carcinogenic properties[37][38].

So what can you actually do if you are in the USA and you want to avoid potentially dangerous food and cosmetic additives, but you don’t have time to research 10,000+ chemicals!?

You do have to read labels and research if you want to be very careful about your health in the USA. Since publishing the truth about ingredient dangers can eat into company profits, most authoritiative web sites have misinformation or omit important cautions and study results to avoid “creating undue concern” in the public. You might read labels, but be aware that not all ingredients are required to be listed on ingredient labels in the USA[39]. Isn’t that great? So the recommendation left is this:

Choose Real Foods: Opt for fresh, whole, unprocessed foods that are less likely to contain artificial additives.
Choose Products with just a few ingredients, the fewer the better.
Learn to cook: Prepare your own meals from simple real ingredients.

You can also try omitting certain foods for a month or more and if you feel better, stay away from them. If you are very in tune with your body, if you pay attention to it take notes on a calendar while tracking what you eat, you can be your own best source of knowledge as to what food ingredients are helping you and which might be doing unseen damage.

Another thing you can do is vote for politicians who have vowed to change the regulatory system in favor of better consumer protection. Good luck!

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Seven Ingredients Not Safe for Humans, but Fine For Americans

Rajhe Fatelle

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