According to !SCIENCE!, two of my favorite foods are dangerous:
Croissants, baguettes and even breakfast cereals could be exposing millions to a cancer-linked toxic metal, French health chiefs have warned.
A major report has raised alarm over levels of cadmium in everyday foods, with experts saying nearly half of the French population may be consuming ‘concerning’ amounts through their diet alone.
The heavy metal, which is found in fertilizers used in modern farming, can build up in soil and enter staple foods eaten daily by millions.
Scientists say products ranging from bread and pastries to pasta, rice and potatoes are among the biggest sources of exposure, with diet accounting for up to 98 per cent of intake in non-smokers.
The findings, published by France’s food safety agency ANSES, have been described as ‘worrying’, with warnings the risks could grow if no action is taken.
Cadmium has been linked to a range of cancers, including those affecting the pancreas, bladder, prostate and breast. It has also been associated with brittle bones, kidney damage and cardiovascular disease.
Géraldine Carne, an expertise coordinator at the agency, warned that long-term health impacts are likely to increase if exposure is not reduced.
Okay, so it’s not just croissants and baguettes that could be dangerous because of this cadmium stuff, but just about every agricultural product we eat.
So in essence, we’re all gonna DIIIIEEEEE from eating because #CadmiumBadShit.
Phew… for a moment I thought I was going to have to cut down on baguettes and croissants.
Just for the record: French baguette — as made by my local grocery store, Market Street — is the only bread I eat, except when I’m eating croissants (usually from Kroger or Dunkin Donuts) for Saturday/Sunday brekkie. I seldom put any other breads in my mouth, unless I’m feeling rich and happen to be close to a Central Market store, in which case I get a Batard loaf. (I wrote about my love of bread back in 2019, in case anyone’s interested, and very little has changed since then. #SetInMyWays #SurpriseSurprise)
Anyway, that reminds me: I’m running low on baguette, so if you’ll excuse me…
…I’m going to get some on my way back from the range.