KEY TERMS
We value accessibility and understanding, so here's a quick guide on commonly used terms to explain the biological significance of endocrine disruptors.
Food Apartheids
A food apartheid refers to a geographic area that has low access to affordable fresh, healthy foods as a result of social separatism on the grounds of race and/or socio-economic status.
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See “Our Terminology” for more about the distinction between the terms “Food Apartheid” and “Food Deserts.”
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs)
-Sara Taubman
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) (Definitions section by Sara Taubman)
What are Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs)?
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Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) are exactly what you might expect as implied by their name! An EDC is any chemical that disrupts the endocrine system.
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What is the Endocrine System?
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The endocrine system is the system in the body that secretes hormones. These hormones travel either through the bloodstream or through interstitial fluid. The endocrine gland is a gland that secretes hormones. The endocrine system includes organs that secrete hormones. The hormones secreted by the endocrine system communicate via chemical signaling.
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What are hormones?
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Hormones are chemicals that are released by endocrine organs into the bloodstream or interstitial fluid. They bind to a target cell and elicit a physiological response. Each type of hormone will have a specific shape that can only bind to a corresponding receptor. This is similar to the way that a specific key fits into a specific lock to cause a door to open. Hormones can bind to receptors on the surface of the cell or inside the cell, depending on the hormone’s structure and chemical properties.
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How do EDCs work?
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There are two ways that EDCs can disrupt the endocrine system. EDCs can be classified as agonists or antagonists. An agonist is a chemical that has a similar structure to a hormone, so much so that it can bind to the hormone’s target receptor, eliciting a response. An antagonist is a chemical that has a structure that can block the hormone from binding to the receptor, stopping the hormone’s signal from being carried out. Either type of chemical will change the degree of hormonal response occurring in the body. The type of chemical and the type of hormone(s) it interferes with will determine the physiological changes that occur in the body. (Dr William Ju, accessed 2022)
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Why should we care?
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We must recognize that not all disruptions to the endocrine system are inherently bad. While EDCs do cause physiological changes within the body, change in itself is not necessarily negative. Sometimes change can be neutral or even positive. That being said, some changes can cause increased burdens to certain bodies. Our bodies are dynamic. We change and adapt to our environment. It is important to understand what we are being exposed to. It is also important to understand the changes in our bodies that correspond to our environment.
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Which EDCs are in food packaging?
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The most common Endocrine disruptors found in food packaging are Bisphenol A (BPA), Phthalates, and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
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BPA:
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BPA is found in food and soda cans. It is an estrogenic compound, meaning it can mimic, or act in similar ways as the hormone estrogen. (FDA’s food additive regulations fail to address toxic chemicals in food, 2020)
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Phthalates
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Phthalates have been found in plastic food packages. Phthalates are found in some plastics because they increase flexibility. (FDA’s food additive regulations fail to address toxic chemicals in food, 2020)
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PFAS
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PFAs are found coating many waxy papers or cardboards such as fast food wrappings, pizza boxes, and popcorn bags. PFAs are highly fluorinated compounds that are also known as “forever chemicals” because they are known to remain in the environment and in our bodies for a very long time. (Group, E. W., 2018)
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