Domino’s, McDonald’s, & Wendy’s Are All Feeding You A Chemical Used In Silly Putty

The chemical has been stirring up some controversy recently due to its appearance in fast-food menu items. It belongs to a group of polymeric compounds commonly referred to as silicones, and applications of the chemical range from contact lenses and medical devices to shampoo and conditioners (making the hair shiny and slippery), caulking, heat resistant tiles, polishes, cosmetics, silly putty, and plenty more. The FDA approved chemical is classified as “non-toxic” even though it is non-biodegradable and its commercial use in breast implants has decreased due to “safety concerns.” Under section 176.200, polydimethylsiloxane is listed as a defoaming agent which is an acceptable additive to food: (d) Substances employed in the formulation of defoaming agents include: (1) Substances generally recognized as safe in food. (2) Substances subject to prior sanction or approval for Surprisingly, the FDA also approved formaldehyde as a preservative for anti-foaming agents. Formaldehyde is recognized as a carcinogen by the CDC. Domino’s Pizza lists the ingredient in their breadsticks, cheese bread, as well as in their “garlic butter oil,” commonly used on most of their pizzas. McDonald’s lists polydimethylsiloxane as an additive in their cooking oils, meaning that their infamous McNuggets and french fries are saturated in the chemical. Wendy’s also uses the ingredient in their cooking oils.

The FDA states that anti-foaming agents are “generally recognized as safe in food,” but the term “generally” is an elusive one at best.

The question begs, why is the FDA approving food additives such as polydimethylsiloxane and formaldehyde when the substances frequently find industrial uses? Material Data Safety sheets state that polydimethylsiloxane (or dimethicone for short) degrades to formaldehyde under higher temperatures, a concern due to the chemical’s use in fast-food cooking oils. Another MSDS revealed dangers associated with fires/explosions and polydimethylsiloxane, which can generate formaldehyde as a by-product of oxidative thermal decomposition at temperatures greater than 150 degrees C. In 2006, The Milkweed released a report in their monthly magazine which singled out Leprino Foods, the main manufacturer and supplier of cheese for Pizza Hut, as using polydimethylsiloxane as an anti-foaming agent for their cheese. Leprino sent a letter in response stating that they received the patent for using the chemical but that “many practices are often claimed in patents, but are not utilized commercially.” The use of polydimethylsiloxane provides yet another example of a “trusted” governing body letting the public down by the unethical regulation of our food. As time goes on I trust we will see more of the corruption behind the FDA being exposed. In the meantime, do yourself a favor and avoid the aforementioned fast food choices. It is clear there is a war being enacted on our health, and ultimately the only person who can save you is you. .

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References:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polydimethylsiloxane
• http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?fr=176.200
• http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/drywall/docs/whatyoushouldknowaboutformaldehyde.pdf
• http://cache.dominos.com/homev8/docs/menu/dominos_nutrition_v2.21.00.pdf
• http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/getnutrition/ingredientslist.pdf
• http://www.wendys.com/redesign/wendys/pdf/en_US_nutrition.pdf
• https://www.thesage.com/pub/msds/Dimethicone.pdf
• http://www.usp.org/pdf/EN/referenceStandards/msds/1546300.pdf
• http://www.themilkweed.com/Pizza_Cheese_Update_March_2006.pdf