Contaminants in our food

Chemical contaminants in our food have been a major concern in recent times, and there are a massive number of educated and uneducated people who are blissfully ignorant of it and aren't able to correlate their various pains, rashes, urination issues, inflammation, pimples, fungal infections, kidney pain, intestinal pain, burning sensation, chills, dental issues, ADHD, lethargy, brain fog, cancer, Parkinsons, and various other issues, to the food contaminants. Even when these cause various health issues, many doctors aren't suggesting anything about switching to safer foods. Moreover, the high costs of organic foods are prohibitive enough that even people severely affected are not buying safer foods. I found it even more appalling that not all organic food is actually organic. Whenever I tell people why I cannot eat certain foods at their homes or functions, it became hard to just say "allergy", because it isn't just an allergy, and there is much that they need to understand about how it affects me and others. So I decided to list out various contaminants and how they affect health.

https://nav9.github.io/contaminants/

 

Health effects of various contaminants

Disclaimer: I told an AI to search through research papers and list the contaminants, so there may or may not be errors. 

• Organophosphates and organochlorines could disrupt the function of the thymus, potentially leading to autoimmune disruption. It could also disrupt the autonomic nervous system which controls heart rate and rhythm, potentially leading to arrhythmias and sudden death. Also linked to hearing loss, the development of atherosclerosis and increased risk of non-fatal myocardial infarction (heart attack). They alter lipid metabolism and increase fibrinogen, which makes blood thicker and more likely to form a 100% blockage (clot) on top of an existing plaque.
• Aflatoxins being linked to immune suppression and liver cancer. Can weaken vein and artery walls, causing internal hemorrhages and heart failure.
• Dioxins causing skin lesions, patchy darkening of the skin, reproductive issues, interference with hormones and damage to the immune system.
• Aminoglycosides which can cause hearing loss, gaze instability (oscillopsia) and balance impairments.
• Tetracyclines which can cause skin photosensitivity, fatty liver, tinnitus, abdominal pain, breathing issues, and cause drug-induced lupus. 
• Heavy metal poisoning: 
• Mercury causing central nervous system (CNS) injury, renal dysfunction, gastro intestinal ulceration, promotes thrombosis (clot formation) and inactivates protective enzymes that usually keep arteries healthy.  Foods rich in selenium and zinc (found in organic seeds and nuts) act as natural antagonists to heavy metals like mercury and lead, helping the body slowly process these toxins. Foods high in iron (red meat, beans, iron fortified cereals can compete with lead for absorbtion, calcium can block lead from entering cells, vitamin B1 can accelerate lead removal, vitamin C can help remove free radicals created by lead)
• Lead (sometimes present in rice) causing CNS injury, lung dysfunction, anemia, liver damage, cardiovascular dysfunction (can impair nitric oxide production, which is essential for blood vessel relaxation). Contaminants like lead and cadmium make plaques "unstable" or "vulnerable." This means a smaller blockage can suddenly "burst" and form a blood clot that completes the 90-100% obstruction, leading to a sudden heart attack in someone who appeared healthy.
• Chromium causing kidney dysfunction, gastro intestinal (GI) disorders, skin diseases, increasing incidence of various cancers. 
• Cadmium (found in industrial fertilizers) poisoning causing degenerative bone disease, kidney dysfunction, liver damage, accumulates in arterial walls, promoting atherosclerosis and increasing the risk of heart failure, GI disorders, lung injuries, impacting metabolism of zinc and copper, causing cancer. 
• Arsenic causing cardiovascular dysfunction (associated with carotid artery thickening in children and peripheral vascular disease), skin and hair changes, CNS injury, GI discomfort and liver damage. There are some precautions to be aware of when considering chelation. 

Guides: 

• There's a lot more mentioned in Thankamma Jacob's book: Poisons in our food (which is oddly the exact same title I wanted to write an article with). 
• More information on tips and tests here.
• A guide from the Voluntary Health Association of India too. 
• A guide to plan out nutrition, budgeting and mentions contaminants too. 

How much do our farmers and fishermen know about all this, and how much do they care about safe food. Even if they do care, how many of these chemicals are finding their way into fields via various environmental effects and even via companies run by educated people? A survey by the government found that even some organic veggies had heavy metal contamination at some places. The bodies of various people are struggling, supposedly from the autoimmune effects and various other effects of chemicals, and doctors aren't doing much to help identify these issues and come up with solutions.

There are other chemicals causing bone loss and pyrethroid poisoning which can cause itching, burning, muscle twitching. 

Chlorpyriphos, dimethoate, phosalone, mancozeb and captan causing malignant brain tumors (glioblastoma multiforme, medulloblastomas, astrocytomas, anaplastic oligodendrogliomas, ependymomas, choroid plexus papillomas, etc.).

Organophosphates like chlorpyrifos, malathion, acephate, dimethoate, edifenphos, carbendazim and mancozeb potentially being ototoxic (causing hearing loss). Some of these may have been used in sugarcane cultivation.

Methyl bromide and perhaps even phosphine being used to fumigate stored grains to kill insects, possibly causing unstable gait, vertigo, polyneuropathy, optic neuropathy, depletion of glutathione (antioxidant which protects cells from damage caused by reactive oxygen species) in several tissues, such as the liver, kidneys, lungs, and brain. 

Argemone oil contamination in mustard oil resulting in edema and tenderness of the abdomen, fluid retention (edema) in the upper and lower limbs (dropsy).

Microplastics (polyacrylamide, polyacetylene, ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyamide (nylon)) in shellfish and other fishes. Toxins leaching from microplastics can percolate into the GI tract and be transported to the edible tissue. Consumption of such seafood could lead to alteration in chromosomes, which can lead to infertility, obesity and cancer. Nanoplastics could cause cardiopulmonary issues, alterations of endogenous metabolites, genotoxicity, inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, effects on nutrient absorption and gut microflora.

Trans Fats: Often found in adulterated or low-quality frying oils, trans fats are the most direct cause of arterial "clogging" by simultaneously raising bad cholesterol and lowering good cholesterol.

Bisphenol A (BPA): Leached from the linings of metal food cans, BPA is associated with angina (chest pain from blockages) and accelerated atherosclerosis.  

Nitrofurans, chloramphenicol, and other antibiotics in aquaculture, heavy metal and insecticide contamination in fish farms. Mercury, zinc, lead, copper, cadmium in large open water fishes. Dried fish from fishing villages showed an accumulation order of Zinc > Lead > Copper > Chromium > Cadmium.

Formalin (high risk of stomach, lung, and nasopharyngeal cancers) or sodium benzoate (can cause allergies, oxidative stress in cells, damage the immune system, and increase DNA damage in human cells, interfere with protein digestion in the human gut, hyperactivity, anxiety, and potentially decreased memory) used to extend the shelf life of fish, ammonia added to ice to slow down the melting process (can cause gastric irritation and damage to intestinal tissues).

Alum (fitkari) possibly deceptively being used to make herbs look fresher. It's also used in gardening. It could potentially cause kidney and GI damage. 

Soapstone/talc used for polishing dal may contain forms of asbestos (carcinogen) and soapstone can also impair the functioning of the GI system.  

Mixed Exposure: Research indicates that "mixtures" of various pesticides (sometimes called a "pesticide cocktail") can have a linear, positive association with a 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. 

Bacterial Endotoxins (LPS): These can contaminate meat and dairy, triggering systemic inflammation that depresses heart function and increases the risk of heart failure. 

Aflatoxins: These can weaken vein and artery walls, causing internal hemorrhages and heart failure. Case studies include a 15-year-old boy whose sudden death was linked to aflatoxin-induced heart failure.

Citreoviridin: Found in mouldy rice, it has been historically linked to "cardiac beriberi," causing sudden cardiac arrest.

T-2 Toxin: This mold toxin can cause hypertension and damage heart tissue directly through oxidative stress.  

Acrolein: Formed during high-heat frying of oils or found as a pollutant in crops near heavy traffic, it is a potent irritant to the endothelium and can trigger myocardial infarction.

Acrylamide: Produced in starchy foods (like potato chips or bread) during high-temperature cooking, it is associated with platelet activation and increased cardiovascular risk. It is also a cancer risk.

Artificial Sweeteners: Recent studies have linked high intake of erythritol, aspartame, and sucralose to an increased risk of stroke and heart attack by enhancing platelet responsiveness and clot formation.  

Metanil Yellow: This food colourant (sometimes used to give jaggery its yellow color) can inhibit gastrointestinal transit, is known to have carcinogenic and mutagenic properties and affecting the Purkinje cells which impairs how the brain perceives sound

Sodium benzoate: Used as a preservative in acidic foods and soft drinks, can  trigger acute urticaria and angioneurotic edema. 

Tartrazine and Carmine: Used as artificial food colouring can trigger deep tissue swelling, rashes, and even full anaphylaxis.

Penicillin residues in milk or meat, can act as haptens which bind to carrier proteins in the body to form a complete antigen, causing chronic or acute IgE-mediated angioedema in highly sensitive individuals.

Antimicrobial washes: Commercial slaughterhouses may wash meat with chlorine dilutions or organic acids which could trigger contact dermatitis or eczema flares (eczema and cytokine triggers may also happen from histamines produced when bacteria break down amino acids in meat).

Healthy food is not meant only for the rich. It's a basic necessity of life.   

I create a little visual graph for my reference. There are many more adulterants and contaminants and various ways of figuring out if they are present. Hopefully devices like Macof would make it easier to detect contaminants. I've been noting down various safe sources of foods, which aren't good and which of them are affordable and trustworthy. Am still struggling to find reliable meat and dairy though. If you have helpful knowledge to share, please do comment.