Toxins in food

By Ida Emilie Steinmark and Claire Ritchie2020-11-23T09:34:00

An illustration of a man wearing a white napkin (head out of shot) with a knife and fork sitting down to a plate with a skull and crossbones on, warning of toxic foods

Source: © Shutterstock

Many foods contain toxins such as oxalic acid. How do we balance the risks and benefits to health?

We want to make sure the food we eat is good for us. However, the science shows us that there is no escaping a little bit of poison. Many commonly eaten foods contain naturally occurring toxins and others contain toxins due to farming and food processing practices. With careful consideration of risks versus benefits we can ensure our food is safe to eat. Safety standards also protect us, but a change in culture or politics could alter the idea of what is acceptable.

Thanks for using Education in Chemistry. You can view one Education in Chemistry article per month as a visitor.

A photograph of a teacher standing in a white lab coat, speaking with a class of children in a laboratory, is superimposed on a colourful background. Text reads "Teach Chemistry means support for classroom and staff room".

Register for Teach Chemistry for free, unlimited access

Registration is open to all teachers and technicians at secondary schools, colleges and teacher training institutions in the UK and Ireland.

Get all this, plus much more:

unlimited access to resources, core practical videos and Education in Chemistry articles
teacher well-being toolkit, personal development resources and online assessments
applications for funding to support your lessons

Set up your Teach Chemistry account

Already a Teach Chemistry member? Sign in now.

Not eligible for Teach Chemistry? Sign up for a personal account instead, or you can also access all our resources with Royal Society of Chemistry membership.