a study published in advance of print in the peerreviewed journal environmental health perspectives ehp mentions what scientists consider is the worst documented case of food contamination in u.s. with polybrominated diphenyl ether pbde flame retardants. the incident marks the first time food contamination has been thought to result from pbdes in a food&rsquos packaging, as well. one of ten specimens of butter purchased at five dallas grocery stores had high concentrations of decabde, which is a pbde compound that is widely used in textiles as well as in electronics, cable and wire insulation, and airplane and automobile components. studies of animal have associated consumption of decabde with neurobehavioral changes in young rodents and thyroid hormone changes in adult rodents. on the other hand, the levels of bde209, which is the main component of decabde, were above 900 times higher. the contamination was first noticed during a regular investigation aimed to help scientists improve approximate amount of pbdes and such persistent organic pollutants people unintentionally consume in food. scientists have found low levels of such compounds in many fatrich foods including fish, poultry, eggs, salmon, meat, and dairy products. additional investigation exposed the butter&rsquos paper wrapper had pbde levels above 16 times greater than levels in the butter itself. it is not sure whether the paper was contaminated after or before it reached the butter packaging plant, as per the information given by lead author arnold schecter of the univ. of texas school of public health, dallas campus. furthermore, the source of the contamination is unclear, as well. manufacturers of u.s. have decided to stop all uses of decabde by 2014, and in 2008, the european union phased it out, as well. however, just because they&rsquore phased out, chemicals don&rsquot vanish from the environment, schecter says. the products containing decabde frequently are used for many years. the authors of the paper also agree that their research underscores the requirement for a regulatory program which samples american food for persistent organic pollutants such as pbdes. source of information httpwww.laboratoryequipment.comnews201012buttercontaminatedpackaging
