"Chuck, Dr. Oz initiated a media and health frenzy when he claimed that common apple juices contain arsenic. Do you have any thoughts on the juice wars?" –- Concerned for Concentrate," Battle Creek, Mich.
Dr. Oz received significant flak when he reported in September that "some of the best-known brands of apple juice contain arsenic." Since then, however, Oz has been redeemed and his claims substantiated!
After Oz's initial comments, Dr. Richard Besser, a 13-year veteran of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and ABC News' chief health and medical editor, publicly lambasted Oz and his warnings as "extremely irresponsible" and "fear-mongering" and equated them to yelling "Fire!" in a movie theater. Amid the public debate, the Food and Drug Administration tried to steady the apple cart by saying that consumption of apple juice "poses little or no risk."
But just a few days ago, I watched a humbled Besser on "Good Morning America" recant his fury against Oz's conclusions, saying instead that new studies have just confirmed arsenic is indeed in many popular apple juices.
ABC News reported that Consumer Reports tested 88 samples of popular brands of grape and apple juice sold in the U.S., including Welch's, Minute Maid and Mott's. The results revealed that 10 percent of the juices "had total arsenic levels greater than the FDA's standard for drinking water of 10 parts per billion (ppb), while 25 percent of juices also had lead levels higher than the FDA's bottled water limit of 5 ppb."
Furthermore, data on arsenic in adult urine from the CDC demonstrated that men and women who drank apple or grape juice in a 24-hour period "had, on average, about 20 percent higher levels of total urinary arsenic than those subjects who did not."
Consumer Reports went on to report that the arsenic tested and detected is inorganic and a human carcinogen. CR further explained that there is "mounting scientific evidence suggesting that chronic exposure to arsenic and lead even at levels below federal standards for water can result in serious health problems, especially for those who are exposed in the womb or during early childhood. FDA data and other research reveal that arsenic has been detected at disturbing levels in other foods as well."
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To all the city employees who have been furloughed this year and last, just remember the brand new, Dress Uniforms the firemen will be wearing in the Salisbury Christmas Parade cost the tax payers over $1,000 each. You heard that right over $1,000 each so multiply that times 200. Each member received a new dress uniform with a jacket, pants, dress shirt, patent leather shoes, hats, white gloves, socks, tie and 2 sets of jewelry for the shirts and jackets. All of that came in just in time for the Salisbury Christmas Parade to show off to the citizen how appreciative they are of using their hard earned tax dollars. Oh, and don't forget to look for the brand new Air Unit and new ambulance to be shown off in the Christmas Parade. Thank you tax payers and furloughed city employees for the new toys.
ReplyDeleteArsenic in apple juice? Who cares. It's fed to animals used for human consumption also and the meat industry said it's okay and not a health hazard and we should believe them since their main concern is selling a safe product to consumers isn't it?
ReplyDeletearsenic can be found in the seeds of apples.
ReplyDeletehmmmm. low levels allow the body to develop a resistance to its poison.
hmmm. 10 ppb that's BILLION doesn't seem like a lot.
eat an apple seed a day, keeps the doctor away
tomt
FDA does a terrible job and should be disbanded. We need more Dr. OZs and Consumer Labs. Ron Paul 2012!!!
ReplyDeleteIt might not seem like a lot but over time it builds up. You would be slowly poisoning yourself. But if it doesn't worry you, have at it.
ReplyDelete11:31-It's always been my opinion that the human body needs to develop a resistance to certain elements.I agree with your comment.If apple seeds do contain arsenic,then have'nt we,regardless of our age,been ingesting it all of our lives?Most people drink apple juice,orange juice,or both.Some things are better off left alone.
ReplyDelete