Naturepedic » EWG http://www.naturepedic.com/blog Organic Baby Crib Mattresses & Bedding Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:46:41 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 Kellogg’s Massive Cereal Recall – What’s in the Packaging? http://www.naturepedic.com/blog/2010/08/kellogg%e2%80%99s-massive-cereal-recall-%e2%80%93-what%e2%80%99s-in-the-packaging/ http://www.naturepedic.com/blog/2010/08/kellogg%e2%80%99s-massive-cereal-recall-%e2%80%93-what%e2%80%99s-in-the-packaging/#comments Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:00:55 +0000 gloria http://www.naturepedic.com/blog/?p=1278
If you ever feed your kids Kellogg’s cereals, you should know there may be a hidden danger in the packaging. In fact, complaints from customers motivated Kellogg’s to recall a whopping 28 million boxes of Corn Pops, Honey Smacks, Froot Loops and Apple Jacks after customer complaints.

The customers had no idea the packaging was the problem. They said the cereal smelled bad, tasted ‘off” and, after eating or smelling it, they felt nauseous, vomited, or had diarrhea.

Kellogg’s didn’t disclose the precise information about the cause, but said they had found “slightly elevated levels” of a food packaging “substance” in the box liners.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) contacted Kellogg’s for more information and was told that the substance was methylnaphthalene, a petroleum-based chemical that had “leached” into the cereal from the package liner. A nurse at Kellogg’s, the one who gave EWG the information, also said that methylnaphthalene has a Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) rating from the FDA. But when EWG staff checked the FDA’s GRAS listings online, it was nowhere to be found.

Methylnaphthalene is a component of crude oil and coal tar, and a combustion byproduct of tobacco, wood, petroleum-based fuels and coal. It has been the subject of testing and investigation for some time, but almost nothing is known about its safety.

Nevertheless, it’s produced in great quantities in the U.S., is apparently FDA approved, and is used in packaging our food and as a coating on cheese, raw fruits and vegetables.

One more reason to go organic. Find out more details on the research-to-date, along with the EPA and FDA position on the EWG site.

]]> http://www.naturepedic.com/blog/2010/08/kellogg%e2%80%99s-massive-cereal-recall-%e2%80%93-what%e2%80%99s-in-the-packaging/feed/ 0 Keeping Your Baby Safe in the Sun – Some Sunscreens May Be More Dangerous Than the Sun! http://www.naturepedic.com/blog/2010/07/keeping-your-baby-safe-in-the-sun-%e2%80%93-some-sunscreens-may-be-more-dangerous-than-the-sun/ http://www.naturepedic.com/blog/2010/07/keeping-your-baby-safe-in-the-sun-%e2%80%93-some-sunscreens-may-be-more-dangerous-than-the-sun/#comments Sat, 24 Jul 2010 21:28:13 +0000 gloria http://www.naturepedic.com/blog/?p=1256
If you’re going to the beach with a newborn, it’s easy to keep them out of the sun. But once they’re mobile, they want to crawl in the sand, play with their little pail and shovel, make mud pies and splash in the water. How can you safely protect your active little one from the sun? This new guide will give you the skinny on protection, and tell you the truth about sunscreens.

The Environmental Working Group has compiled info on sun safety for you your kids, including research on 1400 different sunscreens (don’t worry, you don’t have to plough through all that research) to help you figure out which are safe and effective.

The new EWG sunscreen guide (read or download the guide by clicking the link), offers the following:

o A list of the top sunscreens – by which we mean the least toxic while still being effective.
o A searchable database in which you can find out about the sunscreen you’re using or others you have questions about.
o Sun Safety Tips for every age – from infant to adult.
o The Hall of Shame – your worst options, and why. Some of this product info might come as quite a surprise.
o Sunscreens exposed: The truth about sunscreens, what’s proven and what’s not, and how sunscreens could be causing more health problems, including skin cancer, than sunburns ever did.

This is vital information for your little guys, and for you. Especially the specifics on sunscreens. After all, if you won’t let your baby sleep on toxic chemicals (that’s why we make organic crib mattresses); you’re certainly not going to rub them into their skin!

Summer’s already fun. Now make it safe!

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