.jpg)
It might be that many common snack
foods such as cookies, puddings, ice cream, nutmeg, ketchup and some biscottis containing anise could prove to be carcinogenic. The essential oil methyleugenol is
present in all of these foods and has been connected to liver, stomach and kidney cancer in studies of rats and mice.
Methyleugenol has yet to be listed as a proven carcinogen in humans but it has been labeled as a potentially human
carcinogen. In a study that lasted from 1994 to 1998, 98 percent of the 206 participating adults were found to have
traces of methyleugenol in their blood. It is nearly impossible to prevent all methyleugenol from the diet; however, the best way to prevent the ingestion of the chemical is to avoid processed foods. Studies have shown that Americans spend approximately 90 percent of their food budget on processed foods. By purchasing raw ingredients and preparing meals from scratch methyleugenol can easily be avoided.
1. The NIH classifies this natural chemical as "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen". It has this to say about it:
It has a delicate clover-carnation odor. (...)Methyleugenol is a naturally occurring substance, present in many essential oils, including rose, pimento, basil, hyacinth, citronella, anise, nutmeg, mace, cinnamon leaves, pixuri seeds, and laurel fruits and leaves. It also has been found in blackberry essence, bananas, black pepper, and bilberries (NTP 2000). Methyleugenol is used in commercial products as a flavorant at concentrations from 5 to 52 ppm and as a fragrance at concentrations from 0.002% to 0.3%. (...) Methyleugenol exists as a vapor in the ambient atmosphere.
Therefore, your recommendation to avoid processed food is incorrect. Instead, you should recommend to avoid all food containing the herbs and spices listed above, either whole or as essential oils. Such essences are listed under the general term "natural flavouring". Note that these extracts are accepted, and used, in natural/organic food preparations.
This compound is one of many naturally occuring chemicals suspected of being carcinogens. Many are found in herbs & spices. Therefore, although not scientifically proven, it would be prudent to recommend a bland diet to reduce the risk of cancer.
EM, in Canada
http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/eleventh/profiles/s109meth.pdf
Posted at 12:42PM on Apr 28th 2006 by EM