Additives and Cancer
How can a chemical cause cancer? The answer lies in simple organic chemistry. The behaviour of molecules is the result of a balancing act between positive and negative charges. Basically, the reactive forms of many cancer-causing agents (carcinogens) are positively charged, so they behave as though they are seeking a negative charge (electrons) to redress the balance. DNA on the other hand behaves as if it wants to hand over a few electrons. In this way, the carcinogen may seek to share some of the DNA's electrons by forming something called a covalent bond with the DNA. This can alter the entire 3-dimensional structure of the DNA. If it doesn't get mended, when it replicates, mistakes or mutations can happen. Did you know … ?
Some fizzy drinks contain saccharin which is a suspected carcinogen (but you would have to drink many tens of cans per day to even approach the toxic dose!). Carcinogens
Even when the chemicals that get into our body aren’t cancer causing (carcinogenic) in themselves, they may become so when they’re broken down by the body. Food additives are only a minor source of such chemicals. Others come from the actual food itself, drugs, cigarettes, and contaminants in the food and the environment. In fact, the body is literally swimming in potential carcinogens. It’s also made up of millions of cells, each one of which has DNA which could be affected. So the real surprise is why cancer doesn’t happen more often. The answer lies in the body’s amazingly sophisticated DNA repair mechanisms. Did you know …?
The colouring N,N-dimethyl-4-amino-azobenzene (butter yellow) was withdrawn because of its carcinogenic effects.
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