Many imported hot sauces sold in the U.S. contain dangerous levels of lead, according to a what is billed as a first-of-its-kind environment and food study.
Shawn Gerstenberger, lead researcher for the University of Nevada-Las Vegas study, told the Los Angeles Times that there are no U.S. government standards for the amounts of lead in hot sauce brands.
UNLV researchers tested 25 bottles of hot sauce imported from Mexico and South America. The products were bought in the U.S. at ethnic markets and grocery stores. Four bottles, or 16% of the sample, exceeded U.S. Food and Drug Administration standard for safe levels of lead. The product packaging was also tested because lead in packaging has been known to leach into food.
According to the study's researchers, the four sauces with the highest lead content are Salsa Picante de Chile Habanero, El Pato Salsa Picante, Salsa Habanera and Bufalo Salsa Clasica. They were all from Mexico.
Gerstenberger said lead poisoning can invade all the body’s organs and is responsible for learning disabilities and behavioral problems in young children. Researchers acknowledged that many children probably steer clear of hot sauce, but said it is a staple of some ethnic diets.
“For children, there are no acceptable levels of lead. There are thousands of brands of imported hot sauce for sale out there, so this study is just a start.”
Gerstenberger said the study took place almost by accident: UNLV Researcher found in 2006 that Mexican-style candies containing chile peppers and salt also contained high lead levels. That study helped bring about the removal of some imported candies from grocery store shelves.
“Candies from Mexico often contain high amounts of lead from their peppers and salt, which are the same ingredients in hot sauce,” he told The Times. “Since the two products often sit next to each other on the shelves, we figured we should take a look at the hot sauce.”
"The results indicate the need for more rigorous screening for products imported from Mexico, including an applicable standard for hot sauce.
.“There is no standard for hot sauce like there is for sugar or raisins because the product is considered a condiment or seasoning,” he said. “In our study, the standard we used was for acceptable FDA levels for candy, since there is no agency scale for hot sauce.”
Along with federal regulations, states could choose to reject imported hot sauces found to contain detectable concentrations of lead, he said.
Gerstenberger said Mexican companies were urged to make changes to the hot sauce industry like they did with candy. With candy they found if they wash the candy and use sea salt they can get rid of the lead.
Source LA Times
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