What's really in our food? How tire abrasion ends up in our vegetables

𝗘𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗲:

Vegetables grown in urban areas can absorb 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗰𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀. This discovery was recently made by scientists from the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental System Science at the University of Vienna and raises serious questions about food safety.

𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀: 𝗛𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 Additives such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), plasticizers, and antioxidants are used in car tires to increase their durability and flexibility. However, these very chemicals can enter the soil via wastewater or fertilizer, where they are absorbed by plants through their roots and stored in the edible parts. This means that these 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 can ultimately end up 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀.

One way to protect yourself from this danger is to grow your own vegetables and herbs. By growing your own, you have 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 over which substances enter your food, thus reducing exposure to harmful chemicals. A small but effective step to protect your health and ensure that only 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 ends up on your plate.

Sources:

University of Vienna. "University of Vienna: Home." Last accessed on August 30, 2024. https://www.univie.ac.at.