A10 Tuesday, June 4, 2019 |TimesDaily

FOOD SAFETY FDAtesting findscontamination in foodsby‘forever chemicals’ By Ellen Knickmeyer, John Flesher and Michael Casey The Associated Press

WASHINGTON —The Food and Drug Administra- tion’s first broad testing of food foraworrisome class of nonstick, stain-resistant industrialcompoundsfound substantial levels in some grocery storemeats and seafood and in off-the-shelf chocolate cake, accord- ing to unreleased findings FDA researchers presented This Aug.2,2018, file photo shows the U.S. Food and Drug Administra- at ascientific conference in tionbuilding behind FDAlogos at abus stop on the agency’s campus Europe. in SilverSpring,Md. [JACQUELYN MARTIN/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS] TheFDA’s disclosure is As ahandful of PFAS con- congressional hearings, JUNE 11 •6:30 -8:00 PM likely to add to concerns taminations of food emerge state legislation and intense raised by states and public around the country, author- federal and state scrutiny at the Florence/Lauderdale Coliseum health groups that President ities have deemed some over the past two years. DonaldTrump’s admin- ahealth concern but not The federal toxicology Join theTimesDailyaswehonor local high school istration is not acting fast others.Theagencyconsiders review last year concluded coachesathletes and name an overall male and female enough orfirmly enough to each discovery of the com- the compounds are more start regulating the man- poundinfoodcasebycase, dangerous than previously made compounds, called including the kind of food, thought, saying consistent Athlete of the Year “forever chemicals.” Afed- levelsofcontamination,fre- studies of exposed people eral toxicology report last quency of consumption and “suggest associations” with Guest Speaker: ClayDyer, year cited consistent asso- latestscientificinformation, some kinds of cancers, liver ciations between very high Rabin said. problems, low birth weight BassmastersFisherman &MotivationalSpeaker levels of the industrial com- “MeasuringPFAS and other issues. Honorees: poundsinpeoples’bloodand concentrationsinfood,esti- Because the tough com- health risksbut said there mating dietary exposure and pounds are predicted to TimesDailyCoaches of the Year was not enough evidence to determining the associated take thousands of years Football prove the compounds as the health effects is an emerg- to degrade, and because 1A-3A-Darrell Higgins, Mars Hill Bible School cause. ingareaofscience,”theFDA older versions have been 4A-7A-Bo Culver,Deshler High School The levels in nearly half said. found to accumulate in of the meat and fish tested PFAS, created by DuPont peoples’ bodies, PFAS has Tennessee-Rick Rice, WayneCounty High School weredoubleormoretheonly in 1938 and put into use for acquired the name “forever currently existing federal tough nonstick cookware, chemicals.” 1A-3A-Melissa Hammond, Lexington High School advisory level for any kind now exists in an estimated The Environmental 4A-7A-DrewMurphy,Central High School of the widely used man- 5,000 varieties. Industries Protection Agency earlier made compounds,whichare use the product to keep established anonbinding called per- and polyfluoro- grease, water and stains off health advisory threshold 1A-3A Girls-Scott Veal, Phillips High School alykyl substances, or PFAS. countless consumer items, of 70 parts per trillion for 4A-7A Girls-Blak Prestage, Rogers High School The level in the chocolate including in food packaging, two-phasedout forms of 1A-3A Boys-Bret Waldrep, Covenant Christian cake was higher: more than carpets and couches, dental the contaminant in drink- 4A-7A Boys-AnthonyReid, Florence High School 250 times the only fed- floss and outdoor gear. ing water. eral guidelines, which are Thechemicals alsoare Trump’sEPAsaiditwould forsomePFAS in drinking found in firefighting foam, consider setting mandatory 1A-3A-Richard Maggerise, RedBay High School water. which the Department of limits instead in the wake of 4A-7A-Jacob Fowler,Brooks High School Food and Drug Adminis- Defense calls irreplaceable the federal toxicology report tration spokeswoman Tara in suppressing jet-fuel fires. andafterfederallymandated Rabin said Monday that the Especially around military water samplingfoundhigh 1A-3A-Matt Burgess, Mars Hill Bible School agency thought the con- bases and PFAS facilities, levels in many drinking 4A-7A-HaleyStutts, Rogers High School tamination was “not likely decades of use have built up water systems around the to be ahuman health con- levelsinwater,soilandsome country.Theadministration TimesDailyAthletes of the Year cern,” even though the tests treated sewage sludge used has called dealing withPFAS Football exceeded the sole existing to fertilize non-organic food contamination a“potential 1A-3A-Colt Smith, Mars Hill Bible School federal PFAS recommen- crops and feed for livestock. public relations nightmare” 4A-7A-Jackson Bratton, Muscle Shoals High School dations, for drinking water. They’ve been atopic of and a“national priority.” Tennessee-Owen Risner,Wayne County High School Volleyball We arecurrently 1A-3A-Skylar Hammond, Lexington High School 4A-7A-Tori Walker,Wilson High School conducting a Cross Country Research Study 1A-7A Cross CountryGirls-Jaycee Biffle, Rogers High School 1A-7A Cross County Boys-Bennett Brake, Florence High School involving Basketball Total Knee 1A-3A Girls-Karly Weathers, Loretto High School 4A-7A Girls-SaraPuckett, Muscle Shoals High School Replacement. 1A-3A Boys-Avery Thrasher,Mars Hill Bible School If you are19years 4A-7A Boys-Mark Sears, Muscle Shoals High School Baseball or older and in 1A-3A Hitter-Blade Tidwell, Loretto High School need of aknee 1A-3A Pitcher-Colt Smith, Mars Hill Bible School 4A-7A Hitter-Carson Villalta, Brooks High School replacement, 4A-7A Pitcher-Grant Taylor,Florence High School you may qualify Softball 1A-3A Hitter-Morgan White, Lauderdale County High School to participate 1A-3A Pitcher-RileyVaughn,Mars Hill Bible School in this clinical 4A-7A Hitter-Johnna Staggs, Wilson High School 4A-7A Pitcher-Megan Warhurst, Russellville High School research study of an investigational 1A-7AGirls-Lee-Taylor Bishop, Shoals Christian 1A-7A Boys-LukeSingletary, Florence High School new medication Soccer for pain. Qualified 1A-7A Girls-Samantha King, Mars Hill Bible School participants may 1A-7A Boys-Edi Alvarado, Florence High School Track receive at no cost: 1A-7A Girls-Kaylie Wright,Muscle ShoalsHigh School 1A-7A Boys-Greyson Eady,Russellville High School •Study-related procedures, 1A-3A Girls-Anna Margret Hayes, Muscle Shoals High School including knee replacement 4A-7A Boys-Hunter Battles, Muscle Shoals High School Wrestling surgery 1A-7A-Carson Casteel, Florence High School •Study-related medication Tickets: $25 To order tickets contact Cecilia Brumley, Event Coordinator •Study-related laboratory testing at 256-740-5802 or [email protected] Brought to you by:

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