Did you know that certain cosmetics can prove hazardous for kids?

Though cosmetic products might improve our daily appearance but do you know that the use of the products can prove hazardous for kids? A recent study highlights how young children who get in contact with certain cosmetics, suffer from deadly injury.

The study  states that more than 64,000 kids in the United States younger than 5 years old had a cosmetic-related injury between 2002 and 2016.

Researchers studied various factors that affect the health of children younger than 5 years and who were treated in US emergency departments. The factors include the type of product, route of exposure, location of the injury and many more, reported by CNN.

According to the stats presented by the National Poison Data System, it has been found that from 1999 through 2015, several children lost their lives due to cosmetic injury.

The lead author of the study explained, "Although a cosmetic product may not be harmful when used according to the directions, it is important for parents and caregivers to know that a young child could be seriously injured by these products."

The researchers had categorised several cosmetic products into five groups, based on how they are used: nail care, hair care, skin care, fragrance and other, which also included deodorants and make-up products.

The authors found out that the most common injuries came from nail care products (28.3 per cent), followed by hair care products (27 per cent) skin care products (25 per cent) and fragrance (12.7 per cent). And about 75 per cent of the injuries took place when children swallowed the products.

The study also found that young children had a higher risk of adapting injury which could lead to hospitalisation. The average injury rate in children who are less than 2 years is two times higher than children between the ages of 2 and 4.

The researchers believe that the development of any child is responsible for the injury. As a child starts crawling, he/she adopts the tendencies of grabbing things and putting them in the mouth which increases the risks of cosmetic injury.

"These new abilities and the natural curiosity that accompanies them, coupled with a lack of previous experience in discriminating between harmful and neutral or pleasant stimuli ... can help explain the researcher said. The study also looks out for better strategies and preventive measures that can be adopted to prevent such injuries to children.

A pediatric emergency medicine doctor said, "People don't childproof their homes, which I say without judgment because my toddlers have gotten into numerous dangerous items and I do this for a living."

The study had to face certain limitations, including the fact that the data which was required to conduct the study came from US emergency departments and did not include the cases which were cured at home or under clinical care.

The conclusion of the study did not show any significant increase in cosmetic-related injuries, but it created an alarm and raised concerns that people shouldn't "underestimate the danger of certain products, hair products specifically," the Dr. said.

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DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NTURAL RIPENING AND ARTIFICIAL RIPENING OF FRUITS

Food safety and health security should be top concerns of any Government for its citizens. But still, most of the fruit sellers use Chemicals like Calcium carbide for ripening the fruits. This Chemical is extremely hazardous to the human body as it contains traces of arsenic and phosphorus. Although it is banned in many countries of the world, it is freely used in Indian Subcontinent. Thus, we are at a greater risk of short-term as well as long-term health effects simply by eating fruits that are artificially ripened.
Artificial ripening of fruits is done to achieve faster and more uniform ripening characteristics at the cost of its Nutritional Values.

 So, what is the basic difference between the Natural and Artificial ripening of the Fruits?
Natural ripening is a physiological process which makes the fruit edible, palatable and nutritious. In nature, fruits ripen after attainment of proper maturity by a sequence of complex physical and biochemical events. Whether fruits ripen on the plant or after harvest, the general ripening changes associated with the process are easily recognisable. During ripening fruits soften, changes colour, and characteristic aroma and flavours develop. During the process of ripening several factors like temperature, humidity etc. acts as a catalyst. Whereas in the case of artificial ripening, fruit ripening agents promote ripening and induce colour changes. Although the appearance of such artificially ripened fruits has been found to be improved, the taste and smell are found to be impaired especially when harvested fruits were subjected to treatment without considering their maturity status. Besides, the quantity required of the ripening agent to induce ripening will be much more than the conventional dose, when the fruits are not mature enough.

What are Fruit ripening agents?

 Ripening agents speed up the process of ripening of fruits after they are picked prior to full ripening. These agents are particularly Unsaturated hydrocarbons; acetylene, ethylene, etc. However, a chemical known as Calcium Carbide (CaC2) is most commonly used for artificial ripening of fruits. Calcium carbide, when hydrolysed, produces acetylene, which causes artificial ripening of fruits. Other than the Calcium Carbide following Chemicals are in common practice in artificially ripening of the fruits:

Ethylene: A very small concentration of ethylene in air is sufficient to promote the fruit ripening process. Externally applied Ethylene is likely to trigger or initiate the natural ripening process of apple, avocado, banana, mango, papaya, pineapple and guava, and therefore, can be sold before the predicted time.

Ethephon: Ethephon is another agent which is used to artificially ripen fruits. Ethephon is often considered better in terms of taking less time than calcium carbide for ripening. The fruits ripened with Ethephon have more acceptable colour than naturally ripened fruits and have longer shelf life than fruits ripened with Calcium carbide.

Ripening of fruits with Ethylene and Ethephon is permissible if used in a limited concentration. Many countries including India has allowed the use of Ethylene and Ethephon for ripening of fruits as it is less harmful if compared with Calcium carbide. But many petitions have been filed to ban these chemicals too due to the indiscriminate use by the traders and the farmers as they lack the knowledge of their proper use.

Effects of Calcium Carbide on fruit quality

Mostly the Fruits which are grown on orchards are sent to distant markets which sometimes takes several days to reach in ordinary or refrigerated transportation. Usually, these fruits go through the Ripening process in those markets before retailing. And for that, all that a trader has to do is to wrap a small quantity of Calcium Carbide in a packet of paper and keep this packet near a pile or box of fruits. Because of moisture content in the fruit, a chemical reaction takes place which releases heat and acetylene gas are produced, which rushes the ripening process. After which they are kept in ice for lowering the temperature and to develop the colour. However, fruits ripened with Calcium carbide are often soft and less tasty, and they also have a shorter storage life.

Ban on using Calcium Carbide

Considering its hazardous effects, Calcium Carbide is banned in many countries including India, but despite the ban, it is widely used in the Indian Subcontinent. The concerned authorities have failed to carve out any effective action plan to check the malpractices in ripening. In India, artificial ripening is banned under the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act, 1954, and the Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules, 1955. According to rules 44AA of the PFA Rules 1955, no fruit can be ripened with the aid of Calcium Carbide. Those convicted under this Act could face imprisonment for three years and a fine of up to Rupees 1000. Several news reports have highlighted the open indiscriminate use of Calcium Carbide in different parts of the country. But there are hardly any cases where the traders or retailers involved in Artificial ripening have been booked.

How to identify Artificially Ripened fruits?

All that glitters is not gold and is definitely harmful these days. Fruits that look attractive outside may not be good for health. Fruits that have a uniform colour are more likely to have been artificially ripened. The naturally ripened fruits are not uniformly coloured; rather, they are patchy. When tomatoes are uniformly red, or mango and papaya are uniformly orange/yellow, then Calcium Carbide may have been used. Bananas can also be identified if the fruits are all yellow green whereas the stem is dark. While purchasing fruits and vegetables, remember not to select those that are homogenously ripened and with bright, eye-catching colours. The habit of washing and peeling before eating the fruit could help in minimising the health risks associated with the use of Calcium Carbide. It is better to cut the fruit into pieces, rather than to consume them directly. And it is not advisable to buy fruits when they arrive in the market before the due period i.e. early and off-season.

What are the Health hazards associated with these Chemicals?

Calcium carbide is a known carcinogen, a cancer-producing chemical. Irrespective of what quantity you may consume, the chemical is known to have harmful effects on the liver and other parts of the body. It also contains traces of arsenic and phosphorus hydride. Which produces several acute and chronic health effects. The early symptoms of arsenic or phosphorus poisoning include vomiting, burning sensation in the chest and abdomen, diarrhoea, thirst, weakness, difficulty in swallowing, irritation or burning of the eyes and skin, permanent eye damage, ulcers on the skin, irritation in the mouth, nose and throat. Throat sores, cough, and wheezing and shortness of breath may also occur soon after exposure to the chemical. Higher exposure may cause a build-up of fluids in the lungs. Eating artificially ripened mangoes causes stomach upset because the alkaline substance is an irritant that erodes the mucosal tissue in the stomach and disrupts intestinal function. Prolonged exposure to the chemical could lead to peptic ulcer.

In humans, acetylene is not acutely toxic if it is below the permissible levels whereas if it exceeds the limits then its inhalation can cause unconsciousness and it may affect the neurological system by inducing prolonged hypoxia i.e. deficiency of Oxygen. Findings related to carbide poisoning have reported headache, dizziness, memory loss, mood disturbances, mental confusion, sleepiness, cerebral oedema and seizure. Other effects include numbness in the legs and hands, general weakness, cold and damp skin and low blood pressure. Although most cases of arsenic and phosphorus poisoning are detected before they become fatal, pregnant women are particularly vulnerable as the chemical residue in the fruit could lead to miscarriage.

How to Stop this Practice?

For fruit traders, the point of using chemicals is to speed up the ripening process so that they can cash-in immediately. But if the Government does not approve of using Artificial ripening for fruits, how can these fruit traders use them? It is obvious that the practice of using calcium carbide is an unnatural practice, and when the Government is disapproving, the fruit traders cannot proceed with this unhealthy practice. The fruit traders are saying that they are using its small quantity, but who is going to keep control of how much they are using? It is not possible for the authorities to go and check every fruit seller. But following measures can help in keeping a check on this practice:

• On procurement and selling of these banned Chemicals, restrictions should be strictly imposed.
• The fruit traders and sellers should be made aware of the health hazards and imbued with a sense of moral responsibility to the society.
• Vigilance at the wholesale markets should be strengthened to stop the practice.
• Environmentally safe new compounds which are not harmful to human health must be discovered and tested.

Artificial Fruit ripening is a complex issue especially in developing countries like India and requires the combined involvement of the whole community, government agencies, policymakers, fruit-sellers, farmers, scientists and consumers to find an effective solution to this matter. 

 this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   
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Don’t use newspapers to pack food, Nadda tells public; asks FSSAI to issue advisory, create awareness amongst SMBs

Health Ministry has asked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to issue an advisory restricting the use of newspapers as food packaging material and has also stressed upon the need to create awareness among small businesses and vendors on the issue.
 
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda has raised serious concerns over the practice of wrapping, covering or processing foods with newspaper and printed recycled paper materials in India.

“It has been observed that vendors have been using newspapers in packing and serving food, which is harmful. I urge the public to dissuade the vendors from using newspapers in packing and serving food and not to themselves use too. We have also issued an advisory to this effect to the state agencies and dissuade vendors from using newspapers in packing/serving food,” Nadda said.

“The fact that the newspapers are printed with ink that can be absorbed in the food is well known. The newspaper ink contains many hazardous chemicals which can trigger serious health problems,” Nadda said.

The Health Minister further stated that there is a need to improve awareness among small businesses, particularly unorganized sector, and provide clear guidance.

“This should be backed up by systematic monitoring and enforcement by authorities,” Nadda added.

According to the advisory, the Commissioners of Food Safety of all States/Union Territories will initiate systematic campaigns for generating awareness among all the stakeholders to discourage the use of newspapers for packing, serving and storing food items.

According to the advisory issued by FSSAI, “Wrapping food in newspapers is an unhealthy practice and the consumption of such food is injurious to health, even if the food has been cooked hygienically. Indians are being slowly poisoned due to newspaper being widely used as food packaging material by small hotels, vendors and also in homes in lieu of absorbent paper.”

Foods contaminated by newspaper ink raise serious health concerns since the ink contains multiple bioactive materials with known negative health effects. Printing inks may also contain harmful colors, pigments, binders, additives, and preservatives. Besides chemical contaminants, presence of pathogenic microorganisms in used newspapers also poses potential risk to human health.

Newspapers and even paper/ cardboard boxes made of recycled paper may be contaminated with metallic contaminants, mineral oils and harmful chemicals like phthalates which can cause digestive problems and also lead to severe toxicity.

Older people, teenagers, children and people with compromised vital organs and immune systems are at a greater risk of acquiring cancer-related health complications, if they are exposed to food packed in such material, the Advisory states. 

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Household dust can decline IQ level in children, trigger respiratory problems

Household dust exposes people to a wide range of toxic chemicals from everyday products, states a recent study conducted at the George Washington University.
The team conducted a first-of-a-kind meta-analysis, compiling data from dust samples to identify the top ten toxic chemicals commonly found in dust.
They found that DEHP, a chemical belonging to a hazardous class called phthalates, was number one on that list.
In addition, the researchers found that phthalates overall were found at the highest levels in dust followed by phenols and flame retardant chemicals.
Lead author Ami Zota said, "Our study is the first comprehensive analysis of consumer product chemicals found in household dust. The findings suggest that people, and especially children, are exposed on a daily basis to multiple chemicals in dust that are linked to serious health problems."
Chemicals from consumer products are released into the air and get into dust, which can settle on household items or on the floor.
People can inhale or ingest small particles of dust or even absorb them through the skin.
Infants and young children are particularly at risk for exposure to the chemicals found in dust because they crawl, play on dusty floors, and put their hands in their mouths.
Zota and her colleagues pooled data from 26 peer-reviewed papers and a dataset that analyzed dust samples taken from homes in 14 states.
They found 45 potentially toxic chemicals that are used in many consumer and household products such as vinyl flooring, personal care and cleaning products, building materials and home furnishings.
The meta-analysis combines information from smaller dust studies and thus offers solid conclusions with greater statistical power.
The team found that ten harmful chemicals are found in ninety percent of the dust samples across multiple studies, including a known cancer-causing agent called TDCIPP.
This flame retardant is frequently found in furniture, baby products and other household items.
Indoor dust consistently contains four classes of harmful chemicals in high amounts. Phthalates, substances that are used to make cosmetics, toys, vinyl flooring, and other products, were found in the highest concentration with a mean of 7,682 nanograms per gram of dust-an amount that was several orders of magnitude above the others.
Phenols, chemicals used in cleaning products and other household items, were the number two highest chemical class followed by flame retardants and highly fluorinated chemicals used to make non-stick cookware.
Chemicals from dust are likely to get into young children's bodies.
A flame retardant added to couches, baby products, electronics and other products, TCEP, had the highest estimated intake followed by four phthalates--DEP, DEHP, BBzP and DnBP.
The intake numbers in this study probably underestimate the true exposure to such chemicals, which are also found in products on the drug store shelf and even in fast food the authors say.
Phthalates such as DEP, DEHP, DNBP, and DIBP, are not only found at the highest concentrations in dust but are associated with many serious health hazards.
Phthalates are thought to interfere with hormones in the body and are linked to a wide range of health issues including declines in IQ and respiratory problems in children.
Highly fluorinated chemicals such as PFOA and PFOS are also high on the potential harm scale.
These types of chemicals, which are found in cell phones, pizza boxes, and many non-stick, waterproof and stain-resistant products have been linked to numerous health problems of the immune, digestive, developmental and endocrine systems.
Many of the chemicals in dust are linked to the same health hazards, such as cancer or developmental and reproductive toxicity, and may be acting together.
Exposure to even small amounts of chemicals in combination can lead to an amplified health risk, especially for developing infants or young children, the authors say.
Co-author Veena Singla said, "The number and levels of toxic and untested chemicals that are likely in every one of our living rooms was shocking to me. Harmful chemicals used in everyday products and building materials result in widespread contamination of our homes--these dangerous chemicals should be replaced with safer alternatives."
Meantime, consumers who want to reduce their exposure to chemicals in household dust and the environment around them can take a few simple steps such as keeping dust levels low by using a strong vacuum with a HEPA filter, washing hands frequently and avoiding personal care and household products that contain potentially dangerous chemicals.


An expert in the field Robin Dodson said, "Consumers have the power to make healthier choices and protect themselves from harmful chemicals in everyday products. These things can make a real difference not only in their health but also in shifting the market toward safer products."

The study appeared in Environmental Science and Technology journal. 

 this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.

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INSTANT NOODLES NOT GOOD FOR HEALTH

BE CAREFUL  WHEN COOKING  INSTANT NOODLES.

 

The National Heart Institution has recommended not to over eat instant noodles as heart disease is mainly caused by the seasoning powder.   If you can't do without it, reduce the powder by half and don't drink the soup after you finish the noodles.  The noodles are coated with wax and it will take around 4 to 5 days for the body to excrete the wax after you have eaten the noodles.   CORRECT METHOD OF COOKING NOODLES' without harming our bodies and health: 1. Boil the noodles in a pot of water. 2. Once the noodles are cooked, take out the noodles, and throw away the water which contains wax. 3. Boil another pot of water, add the cooked noodles into the hot boiling water and then turn off the stove. 4. Only at this stage when the stove is off, and while the water is very hot, add the flavouring powder into the water, to make noodle soup. 5. However, if you need dry noodles, remove the noodles and add the flavouring powder and toss it to get dry noodles.  Dietician's Note: If you buy plain hakka noodles which you make, you initially need to boil in water and discard the water. This will soften the noodles. To prevent it from sticking we need to add a table- spoon  of oil and also the noodles are deep fried partially to make them crunchy and then dusted with flour to prevent them from sticking while boiling. Hence when you buy the noodles they are already made unhealthy and this is the type we use to make stir fry noodles and the regular 'Maggi' too is made the same way, plus they add Mono-Sodium-Glutamet / Ajinomoto and other chemical preservatives. A large number of patients with ages ranging from 18-24  years are ending up with pancreatitis either as  a swelling or infection of the pancreas due to regular consumption of instant noodles... If the frequency is more than 3 times a week, then it is very hazardous... Please share this info and help save a life