In fresh years, strawberry skyr has become a popular food product in Poland. It is associated with healthy food and is frequently chosen by parents as a healthy snack for children. However, the latest test by the Pro-Test Foundation revealed worrying data that could force us to reconsider our choices.
The Pro-Test Foundation in cooperation with the Food Safety investigation Department of the Institute of Horticulture – PIB in Skierniewice conducted an analysis of 4 popular strawberry skyrs. The test results are alarming. 2 of the 4 tested products have been found to contain chlorate, a substance that should not be present in food. Chloran was found in products of the brands Fruvita (0.014 mg/kg) and Pitnica (0.021 mg/kg).
The origin of chlorate may be disinfectants for production lines or fruit previously washed with chlorinated water. This is peculiarly alarming due to the fact that chlorate may impair thyroid function, especially in people with iodine deficiency. However, children are most at risk, which is why the European Union has set a limit for chlorate in food of 0.01 mg/kg. Both detected concentrations exceed this limit, and strawberry skyr is simply a common choice for the youngest.
On the another hand, a 0,20 mg/kg phosphonic acid was detected in Pilos’s Skyr, the brand of its own Lidl discount network. It's a compound utilized in agriculture to defend against fungal diseases. It is simply a comparatively tiny toxic substance. The acceptable regular intake (ADI) of phosphonic acid is 2.25 mg per kilogram body weight per day.
The Pro-Test Foundation besides looked at the compositions and labels of the tested products. It turns out that despite the promises of simple and natural manufacturers, many skyrs contain flavor additives, sugar, thickeners and aromas. This differs from the conventional Icelandic skyr.
At the same time, the Pro-Test Foundation conducted investigating of raisins in which pesticide residues were detected. A batch of Bakalland raisins, which found as many as 16 different pesticides, including chlorpyrifos, was peculiarly worrying. specified a product, according to experts, should not be sold at all.
According to the Central Sanitary Inspectorate, in 2020 more than 12,000 cases of food poisoning were detected in Poland, including over 2,000 cases of food poisoning in children. These are alarming data that should force us to reconsider our food choices.
It is worth remembering that healthy food is not only a deficiency of artificial additives, but besides the safety and quality of the product. Therefore, before buying strawberry skyr or another food products, it is worth checking the labels and compositions to make certain that the product is safe and healthy. It is estimated that in Poland more than 100 million strawberry skylarks are consumed by consumers all year. Are our food choices truly healthy and safe?
Read more:
Strawberry Skyr: Is he truly healthy?
