That innocent bottle of juice you just handed your child may not have been all that innocent, at least according to a new study from Tulane University.
The private university in New Orleans conducted a study of various “commonly consumed soft beverages,” such as juices and plant-based milks, and found them to have toxic metals that exceeded federal drinking water standards.
“It was surprising that there aren’t a lot of studies out there concerning toxic and essential elements in soft drinks in the United States,” Tewodros Godebo, lead author and assistant professor of environmental health sciences at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, told the school.
The assistant professor added: “This creates awareness that there needs to be more study.”
According to the school, two of the “mixed juices” had levels of arsenic above the 10 microgram per liter standard.
Various other juices, including a cranberry and a mixed carrot, and oat milk were found to each have levels of cadmium exceeding the 3 parts per billion standard.
The school also noted some interesting other tidbits, including:
Nickel, manganese, boron, cadmium, strontium, arsenic and selenium levels were found in varying degrees to have exceeded drinking water standards in some of the drinks studied;
Lead was detected in an overwhelming number majority (93 percent) of the 60 samples, albeit at very low levels;
The highest level of lead was found in a “lime sports drink,” though that number still came in under the “EPA and WHO standards for drinking water.”
While this all is decidedly not good news, it may not be especially bad news either.
The study itself noted that “toxicity is unlikely” but added the caveat that consumption of “a large volume” can still cause toxicity.
Tulane and its study did warn, however, that these drinks can still pose all sorts of problems with younger children.
“People should avoid giving infants and young children mixed-fruit juices or plant-based milks at high volume,” Godebo said. “Arsenic, lead and cadmium are known carcinogens and well established to cause internal organ damage and cognitive harm in children, especially during early brain development.”
The study stated that moderation is “required” for infants and young children.
The assistant professor added that the elements being found in these drinks can most likely be traced back to contaminated soil.
Godebo added that due to the metals being “naturally occurring,” this may not be an imminently fixable issue.
With the economy in the state that it’s currently in, these types of concerns with everyday products is one of the last things anyone needs — and yet it’s the third rather significant product issue being called out in as many months.
In March, massive outdoor equipment company Yeti had a massive recall over, ironically, the possibility of consuming a magnet.
In April, there was a massive flour recall over a potential salmonella infection.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
