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Ministry of Health Set to Ban Use of 12 Kinds of Aluminum Containing Food Additives

The oral bioavailability of aluminum from foodstuffs has long been the subject of scientific debate. However, recently the bioaccumulative and toxicological properties have been more clearly elucidated which has changed scientific consensus on its safety for human consumption. In line with this research China’s Ministry of Health is set to ban use of 12 food additives containing aluminum and its derivatives.

 A 2011 Ministry sanctioned epidemiological study found that the demographic of highest concern and highest relative exposure to these substances was composed of children aged from 7 to 14. The study showed that outside of this range the exposure values dropped proportionally. The dietary source of this exposure was derived primarily from snack foods specifically puffed potatoe snacks and rice snacks and the use of particular food dyes and pigments used in their production. The use of these synthetic coloring agents often relies heavily on use of aluminum derived chemical agents and as such they are a primary target for the ban.

The highly industrialized production processes employed in production of these foods combined with the cheap price of these food additives has led to mass production and their presence  amongst these category of junk foods is now ubiquitous. The scope of their use is unsettlingly not limited to this food sector and is also heavily relied upon in production of breads and pastas.

According to Beijing Hospital’s Chief Consultant Neurologist Pengdan Tao, the clinical manifestation of aluminum poisoning can be particularly severe with patients presenting with central nervous aberrations including chronic fatigue, anxiety disorders and longer term prognosis showing degenerative cognitive impairments such as dementia. There was also statistically significant evidence showing causal relationship between increased exposure and cardiovascular disease.

Li Haiying, assistant chief of the Capital Institute of Pediatrics also pointed out that children’s developing nervous systems are particularly sensitive to the detrimental effects of aluminum poisoning. Exceeding the recommended levels can lead to impaired neural development and impaired intellectual development.  

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