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Endocrine-disrupting pesticides in infant formulas marketed in Brazil: Interference-free GC-MS analysis and early-life dietary exposure assessment.

Petrarca et al,

2025

Food Res Int

A study analyzing 60 infant formula products sold in Brazil detected dimethoate, an endocrine-disrupting insecticide, in five samples, with one soy-based formula exceeding the legal residue limit of 10 µg/kg established to protect infants under 1 year old. While estimated daily intakes from the contaminated formulas were within acceptable safety limits and unlikely to cause immediate health concerns, the findings are notable because infants are particularly vulnerable to endocrine-disrupting chemicals during critical developmental windows in the first months of life. The research highlights the need for continued monitoring of pesticide residues in infant formula, as exposure to endocrine disruptors during early development can have long-lasting effects on hormonal systems and potentially increase risks for diseases like breast cancer later in life.

The Global Threat from the Irreversible Accumulation of Trifluoroacetic Acid (TFA).

Arp et al,

2024

Environ Sci Technol

Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)—a persistent and mobile chemical produced when many PFAS, fluorinated gases, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals break down—is accumulating irreversibly in rain, soil, drinking water, human blood, and food at concentrations orders of magnitude higher than other PFAS. TFA exhibits reproductive and liver toxicity in mammals and bioaccumulates readily in plants, yet ecotoxicity data remain limited, particularly for terrestrial ecosystems. Due to its extreme persistence, ongoing emissions from multiple sources, and irreversibly increasing concentrations, TFA may represent a “planetary boundary threat”—a substance reaching global-scale exposure levels that could trigger irreversible disruptions to vital Earth systems. The authors call for binding regulatory actions to reduce emissions of TFA and the many precursor chemicals that transform into TFA in the environment.

Surveillance and dietary risk assessment of endocrine-disrupting pesticides in eggplant/brinjal and cauliflower in Pakistan.

Talat et al,

2023

Environ Sci Poll Res

A study of vegetables sold in Pakistan found that 80% of eggplant and 69% of cauliflower samples were contaminated with endocrine-disrupting pesticides, with 20% of eggplant exceeding EU safety limits and particularly high levels of chlorpyrifos (an androgen blocker) and cyhalothrin-lambda (a thyroid hormone inhibitor). The acute health risk from eating contaminated cauliflower exceeded safe limits by more than 200% for both men and women, meaning a single serving could deliver more than twice the acceptable daily dose of these hormone-disrupting chemicals. While estimated long-term (chronic) health risks were low for most population groups, the high acute exposure is concerning because these pesticides can interfere with hormone function and potentially increase risks for hormone-related diseases like breast cancer, especially with repeated exposures over time.

Endocrine disruptors on and in fruits and vegetables: Estimation of the potential exposure of the French population.

Lee et al,

2022

Food Chem

This study assessed the exposure of the French population to endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) from pesticides and phytoestrogens in fruits, vegetables, and soy-based foods. Among 379 pesticides used in France, 70 were identified as potential EDCs, leading to an estimated daily exposure of 509 µg from pesticides, with anti-androgens as the most significant contributors. Additionally, soy consumers had an estimated daily intake of 6,915 µg of isoflavones (plant-based phytoestrogens), while non-soy consumers had 1,930 µg.

A comprehensive assessment of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in an Indian food basket: Levels, dietary intakes, and comparison with European data.

Sharma et al,

2021

Environ Pollut

A study comparing endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC) contamination in Indian food found that while all tested foods—especially dairy and meat—contained organochlorine pesticides, PCBs, PBDEs, and dioxins, overall dietary exposure levels were comparable to or lower than those in Europe despite weaker regulations in India. Urban Delhi markets had higher contamination than peri-urban areas, with organochlorine pesticides being the primary contaminants, yet Indians’ lower meat consumption meant their total EDC exposure was similar to Europeans’ despite some European foods having higher chemical residues. The findings highlight that EDC contamination is a global food system issue driven by international trade of food and animal feed, underscoring the need for internationally harmonized standards on EDC limits in food to protect public health worldwide, as chemical exposures that increase risks for diseases like breast cancer cross borders through the global food supply.

Persistence of pesticides-based contaminants in the environment and their effective degradation using laccase-assisted biocatalytic systems

Bilal et al,

2019

Sci Total Environ

A comprehensive review examines enzyme-mediated bioremediation—particularly using laccases and other oxidoreductases, hydrolases, and transferases—as a compelling strategy for degrading highly toxic and carcinogenic restricted use pesticides (RUPs) that accumulate in non-target organisms including humans, aquatic life, and microbes through modern agricultural practices and environmental pollution. While native enzymes often face limitations in industrial applications due to high cost and susceptibility, immobilization on support materials enhances stability, reusability, activity, specificity, and enables continuous system operation for more effective removal of these refractory compounds. The review covers pesticide sources, environmental occurrence, ecosystem and human health impacts, and specifically highlights laccase’s exceptional efficiency, specificity, eco-sustainability, and broad substrate range for pesticide degradation and detoxification, while proposing that deploying robust laccase-assisted biocatalytic systems will improve understanding of pesticide persistence and facilitate development of sustainable processes to remediate contaminated environmental matrices and reduce human exposure to these hazardous emerging contaminants.

Environmental pollutants and breast cancer: epidemiologic studies.

Brody et al,

2007

Cancer

A comprehensive review found that while laboratory studies have identified numerous environmental chemicals that cause breast tumors in animals or mimic estrogen, human epidemiological evidence is strongest for PAHs (found in air pollution and grilled foods) and PCBs (banned industrial chemicals), particularly in women with certain genetic variations affecting how their bodies process these chemicals and hormones. Evidence linking dioxins and organic solvents to breast cancer is limited but suggestive, while many chemicals identified as mammary carcinogens in animal studies have never been investigated in human populations due to challenges in measuring past exposures and the decades-long delay between exposure and cancer diagnosis. The review argues that given these methodological limitations in human studies, policymakers should rely more heavily on animal and laboratory evidence to develop regulations that reduce chemical exposures, as waiting for definitive human proof may unnecessarily delay prevention strategies that could reduce breast cancer rates.

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