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The Disadvantages of Preservatives

A preservative is a substance added to products such as foods, paints and wood to slow down the decomposition process. Preservatives are meant to make products better; however, they have many disadvantages because of the health and environmental threats they pose. Food preservatives have been known to cause various types of cancer; product preservatives for wood, paint and metals contain harmful chemicals that emit dangerous vapors and do not decompose in the water or soil. The detrimental effects of preservatives are vast and some of the more common disadvantages are well documented.

  1. Food Preservatives

    • Despite the scientific and technological progress in making food preservatives to prevent famine and spoilage, studies show that food preservatives are a serious threat to humans. Independent studies, like the one conducted at England's University of Southhampton, show that food preservatives like sodium benzoate cause hyperactivity in children and is one of the leading factors of asthma and nettle rash. Common antimicrobial sulfite preservatives such as potassium hydrogen sulfite are used to maintain potato chips, canned soups, dried fruit and processed vegetables; sulfites cause digestive poisoning. Ethanol serves as a preservative for cakes and bread but is hard for the body to digest; it is suggested that using ethanol to preserve foods causes cancer.

    Drink Preservatives

    • Fruit juices, beer, wine and water all contain preservatives to prolong shelf life. Health warnings about drinking wine and beer are common because wine contains the preservative sulfur dioxide and many beers contain benzoic acid. Benzoic acid causes skin and eye irritation; sulfur dioxide is known to cause respiratory issues. Fruit juices often contain sorbic acid, which is known to cause skin irritations such as dermatitis and eczema. Potassium sorbate is added to beverages to prevent fermentation and add to the beverage's shelf life; consumption of potassium sorbate is documented to cause diarrhea and nausea.

    Chemical Preservatives

    • Chemical preservatives are added to wood, cosmetics and everyday products such as shampoos to keep the product from molding. Shampoos, cosmetics, bubble baths and hair dyes contain sodium lauryl sulfate, which contains the preservative formaldehyde. Sodium lauryl sulfate causes skin rashes and dermatitis. Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) is commonly used to treat wood. CCA treated wood is banned in Indonesia, Vietnam and Switzerland and is illegal to burn in all 50 states because it contains arsenic. Burning CCA treated wood releases toxic fumes.

    Common Preservation Methods

    • Biphenyl and diphenyl are often sprayed on fruits before they are shipped to grocery stores; both agents make the fruit look brighter and help it last longer in the grocery store. Biphenyl and diphenyl are known to cause vomiting, headaches and central nervous system depression when ingested. Smoked meats, such as beef jerky, smoked ham, smoked fish and pepperoni go through a curing and smoking process. Eating too much smoked meat can cause cancers. Canning is a common way to preserve foods; bisphenol is used to preserve the can against corrosion and contamination; however, bisphenol has been linked to cancer, diabetes and obesity.

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