Hazardous Chemicals Found in Meat, Peanut Butter

Researchers at the University of Texas School of Public Health have discovered the presence of the harmful chemical hexabromocyclododecane, or HBCD, in nearly half of all samples of cold cuts, turkey, fish, beef, peanut butter, and other foods rich in fat and protein. HBCD, which the Environmental Protection Agency has referred to as “highly toxic,” is typically found as a flame-retarding agent in foam insulation, and can be detrimental to the human reproductive system. While scientists are concerned about the prevalance of the substance, the amount of HBCD present has not yet been determined to be dangerous to consumers, and the foods used in the study were all purchased in the area in and around Dallas, TX between 2009 and 2010.