The History of
Poison in American Food
Research Question
Why has the American Food and Drug Administration encouraged a food supply that is full of poison? Common poisons include pesticides, hormones, and preservatives.
Poison--It's In All You Dew
If you're like most Americans, you eat poison in the form of preservatives every day. Just pick up your packaged food or beverage of choice and read the label.
Many of those words you can't pronounce are the names of various poisons that are added to your food to make it poisonous to smaller organisms.
Unfortunately, these chemicals are poisonous to us too.
Are Preservatives Really Poison?
If you're near a bottle of Mountain Dew, pick up the bottle and read the ingredients. See the one called "Calcium Disodium EDTA"? That's scientist talk for "Formaldehyde mixed with ethylenediamine and sodium cayanide." Check out what the rest of the ingredients are at WhatIsThatIngredient.com.
Inspiration for Research
Over the past year or so I have begun to question my own ideas about nutrition and the government’s ideas about nutrition just as I challenge ideas in other aspects of my life. Since the FDA has approved small amounts of formaldehyde and sodium cayanide for human consumption (it’s an ingredient in Mountain Dew) I feel like maybe my idea of “good to eat” might be different from the government’s.
(Not So) Fun Facts
