Reports that carrageenan in some soy milk may be unsafe (example: Silk)

[Guest guest]

A few days ago, I submitted an e-mail to

the group expressing my concern that Silk Soymilk was changing its

ingredients, and was eliminating "organic" from their widely available

products. I did like the taste and consistency of the organic product,

but found the "new" Silk soymilk to have a taste that was inferior to

the original. That may not be attributable to the non-organic soy

beans, but it appears that the vanilla beans and the chocolate

currently used are inferior to the original..

 

So, I reluctantly gave up on Silk soymilk, but I wanted to duplicate

that Silk "mouth feel". I discovered that Silk uses carrageenan (which

is an extract of a type of seaweed) as a thickening agent. I did a web

search, with the goal of purchasing carrageenan to thicken my home-made

soymilk.

 

I was quite surprised and dismayed to find that carrageenan can

degrade, and that the degraded product may be harmful to humans. The

following indicates that the seaweed extract may cause ulcers, and

perhaps intestinal cancer. Scientific results seem to lean in that

direction. Reports from the carrageenan industry attempt to refute

those studies. To be on the side of caution, I will avoid any food

that uses carrageenan as an additive.

 

1661 results regarding carrageenan used as a food additive:

http://www.highbeam.com/search.aspx?RelatedId=1G1:81760722

 

Link to article below: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA44833

 

 

 

 

Q

 

 

Can Carrageenan in Some Soy Milk Cause Cancer?

I just started drinking soy milk. Now, I find out some brands contain

carrageenan which has been shown to cause cancer in test rats/mice.

What do you know about carrageenan?

 

 

 

A

 

Answer (Published 3/21/2002)

 

 

 

 

 

Updated on 4/4/2005

Carrageenan is a common food additive that comes from red

seaweed also known as Irish Moss or Chondrus Crispus.

Carrageen has long been used as a thickener and emulsifier in ice

cream, yogurt, cottage cheese and other processed food products,

including soy milk.

However, results of a study published in October 2001 suggest

that carrageenan may not be as safe as once thought. Findings from

animal studies and a review of the scientific literature showed that

degraded forms of carrageenan can cause ulcerations and cancers of the

gastrointestinal tract.

The researcher who made the connection

between carrageenan and cancer, Joanne Tobacman, an assistant professor

of clinical internal medicine at the University of Iowa College of

Medicine, noted that as long ago as 1972 the FDA determined that there

was enough evidence from animal studies to limit the type of

carrageenan that could be used in foods. However, in 1979, the FDA

rescinded its proposed limitation and since then, no action has been

taken.

Concerns

about carrageenan have centered on the "degraded" type which is

distinguished from the "undegraded" type by its lower molecular weight.

Most of the studies linking carrageenan to cancer and other

gastrointestinal disorders have focused on degraded carrageenan. But

Dr. Tobacman thinks that undegraded carrageenan - the kind most widely

used as a food additive - might also be associated with malignancies

and other stomach problems. She suggests that such factors as bacterial

action, stomach acid and food preparation may transform undegraded

carrageenan into the more dangerous degraded type. Dr. Tobacman's

findings were published in the October 2001 issue of Environmental

Health Perspectives,

a publication of the National Institute for Environmental Health

Sciences (NIEHS), a branch of the National Institutes of Health. So

far, no government action has been taken as a result of Dr. Tobacman's

findings. She is currently looking into the possibility of an

association between carrageenan and breast cancer risk.

Given

this new information on carrageenan, I would recommend avoiding regular

consumption of products containing it. While some brands of soy milk do

contain the additive, others do not. With a little research you should

be able to find a product that suits your taste and doesn't contain

carrageenan.

Andrew Weil, M.D.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Dear Norman:

 

I swore off soy milk a few years ago and moved to Hemp and Almond milk that I think are better for you overall. I realize that there are several camps on the overall benefits of consuming soy products, but given the controversy, I believe that there must be some truth to it. I’m not sure what other members think about this, but I welcome your comments.

 

Sid

 

 

On 4/24/09 9:14 AM, " Norman Sussman " <norm wrote:

 

 

 

 

A few days ago, I submitted an e-mail to the group expressing my concern that Silk Soymilk was changing its ingredients, and was eliminating " organic " from their widely available products. I did like the taste and consistency of the organic product, but found the " new " Silk soymilk to have a taste that was inferior to the original. That may not be attributable to the non-organic soy beans, but it appears that the vanilla beans and the chocolate currently used are inferior to the original..

 

So, I reluctantly gave up on Silk soymilk, but I wanted to duplicate that Silk " mouth feel " . I discovered that Silk uses carrageenan (which is an extract of a type of seaweed) as a thickening agent. I did a web search, with the goal of purchasing carrageenan to thicken my home-made soymilk.

 

I was quite surprised and dismayed to find that carrageenan can degrade, and that the degraded product may be harmful to humans. The following indicates that the seaweed extract may cause ulcers, and perhaps intestinal cancer. Scientific results seem to lean in that direction. Reports from the carrageenan industry attempt to refute those studies. To be on the side of caution, I will avoid any food that uses carrageenan as an additive.

 

1661 results regarding carrageenan used as a food additive: http://www.highbeam.com/search.aspx?RelatedId=1G1:81760722

 

Link to article below: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA44833

 

Q Can Carrageenan in Some Soy Milk Cause Cancer?

I just started drinking soy milk. Now, I find out some brands contain carrageenan which has been shown to cause cancer in test rats/mice. What do you know about carrageenan?

A Answer (Published 3/21/2002)

 

Updated on 4/4/2005 Carrageenan is a common food additive that comes from red seaweed also known as Irish Moss or Chondrus Crispus. Carrageen has long been used as a thickener and emulsifier in ice cream, yogurt, cottage cheese and other processed food products, including soy milk. However, results of a study published in October 2001 suggest that carrageenan may not be as safe as once thought. Findings from animal studies and a review of the scientific literature showed that degraded forms of carrageenan can cause ulcerations and cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. The researcher who made the connection between carrageenan and cancer, Joanne Tobacman, an assistant professor of clinical internal medicine at the University of Iowa College of Medicine, noted that as long ago as 1972 the FDA determined that there was enough evidence from animal studies to limit the type of carrageenan that could be used in foods. However, in 1979, the FDA rescinded its proposed limitation and since then, no action has been taken. Concerns about carrageenan have centered on the " degraded " type which is distinguished from the " undegraded " type by its lower molecular weight. Most of the studies linking carrageenan to cancer and other gastrointestinal disorders have focused on degraded carrageenan. But Dr. Tobacman thinks that undegraded carrageenan - the kind most widely used as a food additive - might also be associated with malignancies and other stomach problems. She suggests that such factors as bacterial action, stomach acid and food preparation may transform undegraded carrageenan into the more dangerous degraded type. Dr. Tobacman's findings were published in the October 2001 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives, a publication of the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), a branch of the National Institutes of Health. So far, no government action has been taken as a result of Dr. Tobacman's findings. She is currently looking into the possibility of an association between carrageenan and breast cancer risk. Given this new information on carrageenan, I would recommend avoiding regular consumption of products containing it. While some brands of soy milk do contain the additive, others do not. With a little research you should be able to find a product that suits your taste and doesn't contain carrageenan. Andrew Weil, M.D.

 

Sid Blair

Freelance Creative Consultant

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