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Pediatric dentists have long told parents that drinking apple juice rots kids teeth. Now there is a new study that should cause more concern for parents who serve up endless sippy cups of apple juice to thirsty toddlers.
According to an independent study released by the St. Petersburg Times newspaper, apple juice contains high levels of arsenic.
That's right you read it right. Arsenic. The stuff they use in TMC movies when they want to poison someone. (Think Cary Grant's elderly murderous aunts in 'Arsenic and Old Lace').
A few years ago the government lowered the limit of arsenic in drinking water but somehow the FDA overlooked or forgot to place limits on fruit juices. They have told companies that 23 ppb (parts per billion) is a 'level of concern' but the newspaper's study found that more than 25% of the 18 samples tested contained between 25 and 35 ppb of arsenic which is way more than a 'level of concern.' (Don't you just love the bureaucratic terminology?)
Some well known brands that didn't pass the arsenic test include Motts and Apple & Eve Organics, which were found to have 25 to 35 ppb of arsenic.
Before you freak out completely, it turns out that small amounts of arsenic is found in lots of food, the water supply and is used in sprays applied to apples. However, ingesting high levels of arsenic over a long time has been linked to a list of unpleasant ailments like organ damage.
The FDA issued a statement meant to mollify parents concerned over 'levels of concern.'
"We don't have any evidence at this point to say that we feel there's a risk issue that you need to be mindful of," said P. Michael Bolger, the FDA's chief of chemical hazards assessment.
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3-19-2010 @6:10PM Ben said... If I am not mistaken Apple seeds are quite high in arsenic. I was told when I was young not to feed them to birds because of their high arsenic content. So I guess it doesn't surprise me to learn that the juice from apples (which is most likely pressed) could include some "juices" of the seeds as well.
This explains the numbness and tingling in my tongue every time I drink apple juice. (j/k calm down...)
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3-23-2010 @10:19AM Jane said... Apple seeds contain cyanide not arsenic.
3-20-2010 @12:04AM cybele said... Ben - apple seeds have natural levels of cyanide in them, not arsenic.
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3-23-2010 @8:40AM Carl said... Apple seeds have arsenic naturally. Just like peach pits have digitalis and sweet clover has warfarin (rat poison).
3-21-2010 @7:51PM Venkata said... The only thing we need to do, not just in the case of apple juice and arsenic, but also with respect to farming and horticulture in general. Controlled use of pesticides and insecticides is highly indicated.
Coming to the presence of Arsenic in naturally in apples, unless someone has the tendency to drink too much of apple juice, one need not worry about it. About the presence of Cyanide in apple seeds (mentioned in the previous comment), no one need to be panic, because, we rarely eat apple seeds and unless we masticate, they pass through feces and the source of cyanide in them is not released. The problem is only, if some one chews and masticates many apple seeds.
Finally, to be alive we have to eat something or the other, any food item in the creation does harm if we don't process it and eat the way it should be done. So, unless some toxic chemical is found in highly excess amounts, for regular food items, we need not worry unnecessarily.
http://www.allscienceonline.com/eat_well_-_go_lean.html
Yours - Venkata
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3-23-2010 @8:32AM Fred said... I am coming up on my 82nd birthday in a month and have been eating apples, including core and seeds, for many, many years. According to this study I should long be dead from either arsenic or cyanide poisoning. Although, I only eat one apple at a sitting, so maybe the level of poison is nowhere near live threatening. As to apple juice, I used to drink a lot of it when I was a child, growing up in Germany. Could it be that that's what kept me alive so long?
3-23-2010 @8:54AM Terry said... Do you know the company called Waiora they have a product that is patented and removes heavy metals,chemicals and other toxins from your body it also has a GRAS status from the FDA
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3-23-2010 @8:30AM madhatter said... Please...please.....read your labels. Much of the apple juice on our shelves is made from concentrate from CHINA and ARGENTINA !! Check the label...if it doesn't tell you...then don't buy it. They don't want to tell you where it's from.
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3-23-2010 @10:17AM Kelly said... I completely agree with Madhatter... I have been checking labels on apple juice, etc. and the only one I have found that is made from USA apples is Indian Summer brand at Wal-Mart. Some places, like Dole, with their Whole Frozen Strawberries, try to make you think they are from the USA. But if you look closer it says PACKAGED in USA with strawberries from xyz (different country) and USA. So frustrating!!
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3-24-2010 @7:55AM herbroberson said... It is my understanding that apple seeds naturally contain arsenic and it is also my understanding that the human body can over a period of time develop a tolerance to the toxic effcts/affects of this metal poison. I personally feel the greater threat to human health from apple juice is the amount of pesticides in the juice introduced by the orchards spraying them than the naturally occuring arsenic.
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3-23-2010 @8:55AM cindy said... The sad truth is that we are slowly but surely killing ourselves with processed foods PERIOD. Damn near everything you can buy and eat has some kind of toxic chemicals in it from the processing. Even the meats we buy are genetically altered and loaded with hormones. Short of raising and growing your own food there is no way to avoid it.
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3-23-2010 @6:05PM Kristin Nelson said... Cindy - I TOTALLY agree with you! I hoestly believe most of the cancers today are caused by preservatives. I wish I had know more about all this when I was younger & would have eaten better. I am watching closely what I feed my kids now. I just wish I could AFFORD organic foods.
3-23-2010 @9:39AM KC said... Don't ya just love the FDA & what a great job they do? No more freakin apple juice for me or my family. FDA-STEP UP!!
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3-23-2010 @9:42AM KC said... Terry-not too impressed with the FDA right now.
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3-23-2010 @9:48AM Scott said... It appears to me that our government here in the USA wants the people to die off. Arsenic in apple juice, It's federal law sodium floride is to be in the drinking water and in toothpaste yet sodium floride is the main ingredient in rat poison so my Question is "Why Does Our Government Want Us Dead?" What are they hiding from us and why. Then their the real question of "Who Do You Stinking Politicians Think You Are", you think you're better than us cause you know how to lie to the public. This country needs another revolution friends. To arms!
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3-23-2010 @10:08AM txflyt said... Slow news day? Check the make-up in seeds/pits before you cheep out, Chicken Littles. Poisons occur naturally in minute amounts in many of them.
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3-23-2010 @10:18AM Tom said... I thought the EPA-established limit for arsenic concentrations in drinking water is 50 ppb. There was a move afoot a few years ago to reduce that to 5 ppb, but I don't think it happened.
So...., what is the point of this article?
Did the author have nothing better to do the other day?
As with the tuna/mercury fiasco several years back, it would be interesting to analyze an apple from 100 years ago, before the advent of herbicides and insecticides. Maybe the arsenic is naturally occuring, as was the mercury.
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3-23-2010 @9:31PM Bill said... What levels of these substances are naturally occurring in apples? I know that in certain areas of the country these and other substances occur naturally at above "federally approved" levels.
Unfortunately, stories like this feed into the emotions of less educated Americans and allow politicians free reign in manipulating their lives though misinformation and wrong-headed legislation.
The emotion based global warming fear mongering and the potential cap-and-trade taxation is one prime example. But there are plenty others.
I view articles such as this as simple political advertisements and appeal to those with a lowered level of ability to think critically.
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3-23-2010 @11:43AM Bob Smith said... How did a story labeled on the welcome mat,"Traces of Arsenic Found in Apple Juice"go to "New Study:Apple Juice Contains High Levels Arsenic-Slashfood".Which is it AOL,trace or high levels.Can't you people stop trying to use yellow journalism to promote your new stories.The problem with you AOl,is you have kids running your website,and have obviously been taught to label every story with salacious headlines.Your inability to police your own website should be proof of that..Try acting more responsible AOL.Yahoo is looking better and better to me each day!
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3-23-2010 @4:33PM fearshark said... ...We don't know where a lot of our food comes from anymore, especially if you buy processed food. The big food companies buy bulk milk solids from places like China to use in their mixes, because it's cheaper than buying from local companies. They are now trying to get processed frozen chicken imported from China into this country for the same reason. China is not know for it's food quality standards, and they always cut corners to get the cheapest product possible. Remember the baby formula and pet food scandal? The apples used usually come from China and are of the lowest quality, considered unfit for human consumption in their own country. They process them into a powder and sell them to U.S. companies to reprocess into apple juice. It's all about money, not about what's right.
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