Dangerous Food Items

There are strong evidences linking consumption of the food products/items to increased incidences of specific cancers in the various organs and body parts of the humans [1,2]. There are some everyday foods and drinks that are labelled as carcinogenic as these food products/items surely contain some natural toxins, adulterants, artificial colourants, additives, preservatives, and residues of insecticides or many other unwanted/unavoidable chemicals/ ingredients [2]. These foods can cause cancer if taken for long duration and these items are processed meats (i.e. any meat that has been preserved by curing, salting or smoking, or by adding chemical preservatives) sausages, hot dogs, pepperoni, alcoholic beverages, salted fish, burned or heavily barbecued foods, red meat including, mutton, pork, lamb, hot beverages (>65 °C), polluted air and water [1,2].


Farmed Salmon [11]
It is often full of cancer causing contaminants such as pesticides, antibiotics, PCBs, and even flame retardants, making it, one of the cancer causing foods. Opt for the wild salmon instead to get the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids that salmon provides, without contaminants.

Refined sugar/Soda [12]
Refined sugar is a danger if obtained from genetically modified sugar beets, because it rapidly spikes insulin levels. Fructose, the type of sugar found in soda, is a serious cancer culprit as well. Soda also contains caramel color, a known carcinogen. Soda acidifies the body, which in turn causes cancer cells to multiply. Skip the sodas and limit intake of refined sugars.

"Diet" Foods [13]
If we see the words like "diet", "low-fat", "fat-free", or "sugar-free" in the label in the packaged food items and in the canned and bottled beverages we should be beware that these items are loaded with artificial sweeteners e.g. Saccharin, artificial colors and flavors, dyes and more and these additives and colourants may carcinogenic. Probably carcinogenic to humans Acrylamide is created in the process of high temperature during cooking of certain foods such as potatoes and cereals.

Refined White Flour "Maida" [14]
Possibly carcinogenic to humans Pickled vegetables may contain mutagens and there are risks of oesophageal cancers in pickled vegetable consumers Bleached food may contain traces of the chemicals, the highly processed flours also have a high carbohydrate content which upset the blood sugar balance inside our body and leads to a higher production of insulin and thus feeds cancer cells. Avoid carbohydrates that are highly processed such as white bread, white pasta, white rice, soda & concentrated fruit juices to avoid this reaction in your body (Table 1). Table 2: Common food items with toxic/dangerous compounds may adulterate during food processing.

Hydrogenated Oils
Trans-fats

N. Iodized salts
O. Safe drinking water with TDS range 50 to 100

"Better to Avoid" Food Items [19]
a.

Foods that can kill humans if eaten enough [22,23]
A. Rhubarb leaves contain oxalic acid in high concentrations after intake of a little bit of it will burn the mouth, throat, and stomach and too much intake can cause convulsions and then death.

B.
Cherry pits and seeds from related fruits, including peaches, plums, almonds, pears, and apricots, contain cyanogenic glycosides and too much intake can cause death.

C.
The Ackee fruit contains both hypoglycin A and hypoglycin B Hypoglycin A is the toxin primarily responsible for causing Jamaican vomiting sickness. The exact mechanism of hypoglycin A is not known; however, hypoglycemia most likely results from the inhibition of gluconeogenesis.
D. Castor beans and castor oil contain ricin, present in cosmetics and lotions which is incredibly toxic to humans and if eaten in large quantity can be fatal [2].

E.
Wild elderberries the glycosides in the stems, leaves, and juice turn into cyanide in the digestive tract and are fatal to humans.

F.
Raw, wild, bitter almond and G. Raw lima beans are also fatal due to the same reasons as they also release hydrogen cyanide.
H. Nutmeg is the seed or ground spice of several species of the Myristica genus are dangerous and fatal to humans.

I.
Cinnamon is not dangerous but when eaten in huge quantities it may be dangerous.

J.
Peanuts and shellfish can cause allergies to the certain persons which can be lethal.

K.
Potatoes contains glycoalkaloids Glycoalkaloids occur naturally in potatoes and are toxic to humans at high levels can be found in the leaves, stems, and sprouts of potatoes. Eating glycoalkaloids will lead to cramping, diarrhea, confused headaches, or even coma and death.

b.
Turmeric: coloured saw dust, lead chromate, chalk powder, yellow soap stone powder, turmeric powder can also be adulterated with 'metanil yellow' which is produced with utilizing some raw materials like 'metanilic acid' and 'diphenylamine' and risks of consuming turmeric powder mixed with 'metanil yellow' is its carcinogenic nature means it is capable of causing cancer in living tissues.

c.
Chillies powder: Brick powder, salt powder or talc powder d.
Honey is often adulterated with water, table sugar and antibiotics,

e.
Black pepper adulterant is Papaya seeds can cause serious liver problems and stomach disorders.

f.
In ice Cream adulterant is pepperonil, ethylacetate,butraldehyde, emil acetate, nitrate, washing powder, the pepperoil is used as a pesticide and ethyl acetate causes terribble diseases affecting lungs, kidneys and heart.

g.
The powdered rice and wheat is usually adulterated with starch.

h.
The coffee powder usually adulterated Tamarind seeds, chicory powder can cause diarrhoea, stomach disorders, giddiness and severe joint pains.

i.
Tomato sauces can also artificially be made from 'pumpkin pulp', 'sugar', 'non-edible colours and flavours'. And there may be no tomato present in it. These sauces with 'artificial colours and flavours' are highly carcinogenic.

j.
Tea leaves are often adulterated with chemicals and additives that add to its aroma or flavour e.g. Prussian blue, Indigo, Graphite (Plumbago), Gypsum etc.

k.
In Mustard seeds and mustard oil adulterant is Argemone seeds, Papaya seeds and can cause epidemic dropsy and severe glaucoma.

l.
Khoya (Remains after evaporation of milk) and Chhena (Remains of soar milk) are used for the preparation of traditional Diwali sweets, and are often adulterated with starch. To give metallic glistening to the sweets, the silver layers used in the sweets and the silver must be 99.9 per cent pure if it is used in these sweets. However, the silver is relatively expensive so the aluminium is being used as cheaper alternative by many sweet shops owner endangering the life of their customers in India.
While eating food items the possible adulterants should be taken care off as these may be or may contain traces of carcinogenic agents and may cause cancers of various body parts. All above descriptions are based on the regional available food items and variations may be seen on the basis of the geographical regions, cultural preferences, taboos, rituals etc.