wolit (03/19/83)
Just because food handlers have been treating food with preservatives for years, there is no reason to suppose that this is either safe or desirable. It often takes a long time to prove a link between some substance and a disease it causes or aggravates, especially in such long-term genetically-based disorders like cancers. Further, some substances that are safe for the general population (like sulfites, apparently) are NOT safe for sensitive individuals, who have a right to know whether these are being applied to their food. Some individuals have unpleasant, even though not necessarily dangerous, reactions to other additives; for example, the sulfur dioxide added to wines causes headaches in some. And one may ask whether it is reasonable for consumers to accept the addition of substances to their food that produce no positive effect for them, but are there simply to increase the profit of the producer. We probably don't need too many additional regulations, though (except for additive disclosure laws for produce retailers and restaurants), since processed food is already labelled as to additive content. What we should do, wherever a choice exists, is to boycott products tainted with anti-oxidizers in favor of those without additives. The manufacturers will get the message. Jan Wolitzky