The popular Thanksgiving dinner staple in the United States has been banned in several European countries and Japan because two of its ingredients have been linked to cancer.
Stove Top Stuffing, an instant boxed stuffing mix popular for Thanksgiving dinner, contains two ingredients: butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), which are It is a known carcinogen and can cause other health problems,” he said. Dr. Neha Pathak, part of WebMD's medical team explained to new york post.
This product is prohibited in the United Kingdom, European Union and Japan. Pathak explained that “these types of preservatives” are prohibited due to “carcinogenic risks.”
“Many countries have much stricter rules about what is allowed.[ed] In food,” Pathak told the magazine.
component list The turkey version of Stove Top Stuffing indicates that in addition to BHA and BHT, the product contains “enriched flour (flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate).” [vitamin b1]riboflavin [vitamin b2]folic acid), high fructose corn syrup, salt, onions” and other ingredients:
Fortified flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate) [vitamin b1]riboflavin [vitamin b2]folic acid), high fructose corn syrup, salt, onion*, less than 2% hydrolyzed soy protein, cooked turkey*, yeast, interesterified soybean oil, celery*, parsley*, potassium chloride, spices, sugar, caramel color. , maltodextrin, turkey broth*, disodium guanylate, disodium inosinate, silicon dioxide, natural flavors, bha, bht, and rosemary extract as preservatives. *Dried product
“This type of preservative is banned in the European Union, mainly because of the cancer risk,” Pathak explained. “The cancer risk is alarming and certainly reasonably expected based on the research we have.”
Pathak noted that there are “many animal studies showing that high doses” of BHA and BHT can cause tumor development in rats and hamsters.
That's not the only cause for concern. Dr. Pathak said these chemicals may also be endocrine disruptors, meaning they can interfere with hormone function and affect reproductive and developmental health.
“We're still learning what that means, especially with regard to endocrine disruption,” Pathak told the outlet. “We know that it can interfere with how hormones interact with different parts of the body. Is it infertility? Is it early menstruation? What are some of these downstream effects? We're still trying to figure out exactly what that will be.”
In a statement to the outlet, a spokesperson for the Stove Top Stuffing brand emphasized that “Stove Top Stuffing has been a trusted favorite on family dinner tables for over 50 years,” adding, “Each box is carefully packaged. It is made in,” he added.
