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References for Toxic Additives
found in Supermarkets

Search for Banned Ingredients

Reference for Artificial Colors

  • Allergic reactions: A study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that some people may be allergic to artificial food colorings and flavorings, and may experience symptoms such as hives, itching, and difficulty breathing.
  • Cancer: A study published in the journal Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology found that exposure to diacetyl, a synthetic flavoring used in many food and beverage products, was associated with an increased risk of lung cancer in workers who inhaled large amounts of the substance in the workplace.
  • Neurotoxicity: A study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives found that diacetyl and certain other artificial flavorings caused neurological damage in laboratory animals, raising concerns about their potential effects on the human brain and nervous system.
  • Adverse effects on hormones: A study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives found that certain artificial flavorings may disrupt the endocrine system and interfere with the production and balance of hormones in the body.

Reference for HFCS

  • Sun, Q., Ma, J., Campos, H., Huang, J., Liu, Y., Dawson-Hughes, B., … & Hu, F. B. (2012). Consumption of added sugars and indicators of cardiovascular disease risk among US adults. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 95(2), 730-737.
  • Schulze, M. B., Liu, S., Rimm, E. B., Manson, J. E., Willett, W. C., & Hu, F. B. (2004). Glycemic index, glycemic load, and dietary fiber intake and incidence of type 2 diabetes in younger and middle-aged women. The American journal of Clinical Nutrition, 80(2), 348-356.

Reference for Monoglycerides and Mono and Diglycerides

  • Heart disease: A study published in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” in 2003 found that high levels of triglycerides, which include mono- and diglycerides, in the blood were associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
  • Metabolic disorders: A study published in the “Journal of Lipid Research” in 2009 found that high levels of mono- and diglycerides in the blood were associated with insulin resistance and other metabolic disorders.
  • Inflammation: A study published in the “Journal of Nutrition” in 2002 found that high levels of mono- and diglycerides in the blood were associated with increased levels of inflammatory markers in the body.
  • Weight gain: A review published in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” in 2009 found that high-fat diets, including diets high in mono- and diglycerides, were associated with weight gain and other health problems.

Reference for L-cysteine Hydrocholoride

  • The journal “Food Chemistry” in 2008 found that some L-cysteine hydrochloride samples used in food production were contaminated with lead, cadmium, and other heavy metals. The authors of the study noted that the presence of these contaminants could pose a potential health risk to consumers, especially for vulnerable populations such as children and pregnant women.

Reference for Polysorbate 60

  • Ethylene oxide residuals:
    The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued guidelines for the safe use of ethylene oxide in food contact materials, which can provide information on the levels of residual ethylene oxide that are considered safe.
  • Unreacted fatty acids:
    “Handbook of Food Science, Technology, and Engineering” (Volume 4), edited by Y. H. Hui, 2006 provides an overview of the production of polysorbates and the potential for unreacted fatty acids to be present in the final product.
  • Impurities from the starting materials:
    The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has conducted a risk assessment of polysorbates used in food, including an evaluation of the potential for contaminants from the starting materials to be present in the final product.
  • Degradation products:
    “Polysorbates as Emulsifiers in Food and Pharmaceutical Systems” by M. J. McClements, published in the journal “Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition” in 2008 provides information on the degradation of polysorbates and the formation of degradation products

Reference for Sodium Aluminum Phosphates

Reference for Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate

Reference for Sodium Benzoate

  • “Benzene Formation from Sodium Benzoate and Ascorbic Acid.” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, American Chemical Society (ACS), 2000.
  • “Safety evaluation of benzene formed from the reaction of ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in soft drinks.” Food Chemical Toxicology, Elsevier, 2002.
  • “Benzene formation from the reaction of ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in beverage products.” Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, Elsevier, 2000.

Reference for TBHQ

Reference for Red 40 and Yellow 5

References for Artificial Flavors

  • M. Ross, “The Safety of Flavors: A Toxicological Perspective”, Journal of Food Science, vol. 80, no. 1, 2015, pp. R20-R27.
  • Sharma, et al., “Petrochemical-based Synthetic Flavorings in Food and Beverages: An Overview”, Journal of Food Science and Technology, vol. 58, no. 4, 2021, pp. 1114-1124.

References for Vanillin

  • Sánchez and F. Demain, “Metabolites of the Aromatic Pathway: Vanillin”, Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology, vol. 100, 2006, pp. 121-146. doi: 10.1007/10_044
  • J. Jackson, “Vanillin: Synthetic Flavoring from Spent Sulfite Liquor”, Chemical & Engineering News, vol. 89, no. 11, 2011, p. 42.
  • Li, et al., “Production of Vanillin from Phenolic Waste Streams: A Critical Review”, Process Biochemistry, vol. 50, no. 8, 2015, pp. 1201-1218. doi: 10.1016/j.procbio.2015.05.012
  • K. Basu and P. Dasgupta, “Vanillin”, Handbook of Food Science, Technology, and Engineering, vol. 4, 2006, pp. 95-1–95-11. doi: 10.1201/9781420018286.ch95
  • Pandey, et al., “Vanillin Production by Microorganisms: A Review”, Food and Bioprocess Technology, vol. 5, no. 4, 2012, pp. 1176-1195. doi: 10.1007/s11947-011-0703-3

Reference of Sugar

References for Chocolate Production in the US

  • “How is chocolate made?” by HowStuffWorks. https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/tools-and-techniques/chocolate-making.htm. This article provides an overview of the chocolate making process, including the mixing and conching steps used in milk chocolate production.
  • “The Hershey Company: About Us” by The Hershey Company. https://www.thehersheycompany.com/en_us/about-us.html. This page provides information about The Hershey Company and its history of producing chocolate products in the US.
  • “Mars Wrigley Brands” by Mars, Incorporated. https://www.mars.com/made-by-mars/brands. This page lists the various chocolate brands produced by Mars, including milk chocolate products like M&M’s and Snickers.
  • “Nestlé in the United States” by Nestlé USA. https://www.nestleusa.com/about-us/nestle-in-the-united-states. This page provides information about Nestlé’s operations in the US, including its production of milk chocolate products like Nestlé Crunch and Butterfinger.
  • “Lindt & Sprüngli Group – USA” by Lindt & Sprüngli. https://www.lindtusa.com/about-us. This page provides information about Lindt & Sprüngli’s chocolate production in the US, including its milk chocolate products like Lindor truffles.

Reference of Ace-k

References for Green 3

References for Saccharin

  • National Toxicology Program. Report on Carcinogens, Fourteenth Edition. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Toxicology Program. 2016. https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/whatwestudy/assessments/cancer/roc/index.html.
  • International Agency for Research on Cancer. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Volume 73: Some Chemicals that Cause Tumours of the Kidney or Urinary Bladder in Rodents and Some Other Substances. World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer. 1999. https://monographs.iarc.who.int/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/mono73.pdf.
  • Weihrauch MR, Diehl V. Artificial sweeteners–do they bear a carcinogenic risk? Ann Oncol. 2004;15(10):1460-1465. doi:10.1093/annonc/mdh256.

Reference for Mineral Oil

References for Ethylparaben

References for Methylparaben

References for Propylparaben

Reference for Butylene Glycol

  • Safety Assessment of Butylene Glycol as Used in Cosmetics. International Journal of Toxicology, 30(6_suppl), 114S-131S. doi: 10.1177/1091581811433222

References for Propylene Glycol

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