The Hidden Dangers: Cancer-Causing Chemicals In North Dakota Foods

It might be difficult to determine the precise ingredients in common foods because they go through so many processing steps before they reach our tables in North Dakota.

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Our food will inevitably pick up some unwanted substances during preparation, packing, and storage. And one of those unseen threats to North Dakotans' health is food-borne illness.

Cancer-Causing Chemicals Found In Popular Food Items

Taste, nutrition, and freshness are the typical considerations while planning our daily meals, but little do we know that some of our favorite foods may include plastic chemicals that are bad for us. Bisphenols and phthalates, which are a group of chemicals used to make plastics more durable.

They are often called plasticizers. Some phthalates are used to help dissolve other materials. Plasticizers are present in large quantities in many of the foods and drinks that we buy at supermarkets and dine out at our favorite restaurants, according to a new study by Consumer Reports.

Even at low concentrations, these plastic compounds have been associated with several health problems. All sorts of plastic, including food packaging, wrapping, and even cans with plastic linings, can be a source of these toxins.

Health Concerns With Plastic Chemicals In Food And Drinks

According to Consumer Reports, high levels of phthalates can cause hormone disruptions in our bodies and cause severe health problems:

Even minor disruptions in hormone levels can contribute to an increased risk of several health problems, including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, birth defects, premature birth, neurodevelopmental disorders, and infertility.

We can do our part to safeguard ourselves and others we care about by learning which foods are most likely to contain plastic chemicals and by choosing to eat fresh, unpackaged foods wherever feasible. Below is a list of foods and the amount of phthalates they contain per serving.

Cancer Causing Chemicals Found In 40 Popular North Dakota Food Items

Check the list below for food items and their total phthalates per serving according to a study from Consumer Reports.

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FAST FOODS

• Wendy’s- Crispy Chicken Nuggets: 33,980
• Wendy’s- Dave’s Single With Cheese: 19,520
• Chipotle- Chicken Burrito: 20,579
• McDonald’s- Quarter Pounder With Cheese: 9,956
• McDonald’s- French Fries: 5,538
• Burger King- Whopper With Cheese: 20,167
• Burger King- Chicken Nuggets: 19,782
• Little Caesars Classic Cheese Pizza (Cardboard Box): 5,703

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BEVERAGES

• Brisk Iced Tea Lemon (Can): 7,467
• Coca Cola Original (Plastic): 6,167
• Juicy Juice 100% Apple Juice (Plastic): 3,348

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DAIRY

• Fairlife Core Power High Protein Milk Shake Chocolate (Plastic): 20,452
• SlimFast High Protein Meal Replacement Shake Creamy Chocolate (Plastic): 16,916
• Yoplait Original Low Fat Yogurt French Vanilla (Plastic): 10,948
• Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Vanilla (Paperboard Carton): 6,387

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MEAT, POULTRY, & SEAFOOD

• Perdue Ground Chicken Breast (Plastic): 9,985
• Trader Joe’s Ground Pork 80% Lean 20% Fat (Plastic wrap): 5,503
• Chicken of the Sea Pink Salmon in Water Skinless Boneless (Can): 24,321
• King Oscar Wild Caught Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Can): 7,792

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PACKAGED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

• Del Monte Sliced Peaches in 100% Fruit Juice (Can): 24,928
• Green Giant Cream Style Sweet Corn (Can): 7,603
• Del Monte Fresh Cut Italian Green Beans (Can): 5,264

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GRAINS

• General Mills Cheerios Original (Paperboard Box with Plastic Bag Inside): 10,980
• Success 10-Minute Boil-in-Bag White Rice (Paperboard Box with Plastic Bag Inside): 4,308

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PREPARED MEALS

• Chef Boyardee Big Bowl Beefaroni Pasta in Meat Sauce (Plastic): 5,064
• Campbell’s Chunky Classic Chicken Noodle Soup (Plastic): 6,768
• Banquet Chicken Pot Pie (Paperboard): 12,494
• Chef Boyardee Beefaroni Pasta in Tomato and Meat Sauce (Can): 13,628
• Annie’s Organic Cheesy Ravioli (Can): 53,579

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CONDIMENTS

• Mrs. Butterworth’s Syrup Original: 1,010
• Hunt’s Tomato Ketchup: 574
• Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce Original: 22

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CANNED BEANS

• Hormel Chili With Beans: 9,847
• Bush’s Chili Red Beans Mild Chili Sauce: 6,405
• Great Value (Walmart) Baked Beans Original: 6,184
• Bush’s Baked Beans Original: 3,709

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INFANT FOODS

• Gerber Mealtime for Baby Harvest Turkey Dinner (Glass with lined lid): 4,267
• Similac Advance Infant Milk-Based Powder Formula (Can): 4,202
• Beech-Nut Fruities Pouch Pear, Banana & Raspberries (Pouch): 2,826
• Gerber Cereal for Baby Rice (Plastic): 1,599