Warning of food contamination in Chile

[Tonka]

http://www.prensa-latina.cu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=459525&Itemid=1
Spanish-English translation

Warn of food contamination in Chile

Santiago de Chile, Dec 14 (Prensa Latina) An investigation by specialists from the Ministry of Public Health in Chile found high levels of mercury in fish and shellfish exposed to sale, a situation that caused alarm in the capital. The president of the Chilean Senate, Guido Girardi warned the respect that there is a serious problem of food security in the country caused by excess fertilizer in fruits and vegetables, and heavy metals in the case of seafood. toxic liquid waste is discharged into the sea without treatment appropriate alerted Girardi, who also called for a serious policy for regulating emissions. In Chile, he added, has allowed the installation of power plants indiscriminately, of cement, which are pollution throughout the country and mining activities that do not meet minimum standards and this has led to a systematic process of pollution from offshore platforms. The helmsman of the Senate also criticized the results of that investigation have not been released earlier by the Ministry of Health, silence interpreted as a result of a logic of safeguarding the interests of polluters. For his part, director of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, University of Chile, Ricardo Uauy, praised the study and noted that the seriousness of the issue is given because food consumption with metals such as arsenic and lead can cause cancer and other diseases. Both Uauy as Girardi called for the formation of a National Healthy Eating to ensure compliance with food safety practices.

 

[Tonka]

Re: Warning of food contamination in Chile

http://radio.uchile.cl/noticias/133840/
Spanish-English translation

Tuesday, 13 december 2011 20:42 hrs.
Alarm generates high levels of mercury in fish
Paula Correa

A strong warning about our food system unleashed severe contamination of fish with toxic waste and heavy metals. Parliamentarians, civil society and experts in the field called on the authorities to monitor food permanently and criticized the silence of the Ministry of Health.

Alarm caused the latest research conducted by the Ministry of Health unveiled mercury levels above the legally permitted in several of the species studied, mainly tuna and albacore. Information was released only thanks to the NGO Oceana, who requested through the Transparency Law.

Against this, the Senate President Guido Girardi said that Chile has a strong food contamination caused by pesticides and nitrates, excess fertilizers in fruits and vegetables, and heavy metals in the case of seafood, posing a serious food security problem.

"We have a serious problem of food security. There is a serious policy for regulating emissions. Our country has allowed the installation of power plants indiscriminately, of cement, which are pollution throughout the country and mining activities that do not meet minimum emission standards and that has been generating a systematic process of pollution of underground water and marine platforms, "said the senator.

The senator strongly criticized the Ministry of Health and the branch Seremi have not reported the results of the study. "The Minsal not have the right not to report, this is the result of a logic which seeks to protect polluters," he said, adding that "we must understand that it is putting at risk the health of the population and the possibility that Chile is a power food. "

In that vein, the world expert in nutrition and director of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, University of Chile, Dr. Ricardo Uauy, said there is evidence that arsenic and lead generating neuronal damage and cancers. He further clarified that the bigger fish, just the most greasy, which accumulate higher percentages of heavy metals.

The specialist said that the damage is not immediate and it makes the situation more complex, and therefore urged to monitor these products permanently and expressed concern.

"Right now Health is delivering all monitoring this on Agriculture and the question is whether the portfolio is ready to make these tracks and to serve these principles. In general, agriculture has been more concerned with how it is exported to safety. We have an agency led by President Bachelet and they should be reporting monthly load which is the mercury in the sea, "said the expert.

To control this issue requested that the President himself is involved in the matter, forming a National Healthy Food, in addition to the Ministry of Health carried out a constant monitoring, creating a real policy for food safety and protecting the population.