The results of a recent study come from an accidental discovery in a previous study that analyzed organic pollutant levels in cat food. Trace amounts of chlorinated paraffins were found in the cat food and traced back to a hand blender that was used to mix the food. As a result, the researchers decided to study hand blenders in a formal study of its own.
Published in a Swedish medical journal, the study determined that out of twelve tested hand blenders, eight of them leaked chlorinated paraffins when used according to the instructions. Five of them emitted levels that were high in the opinion of the researchers. The eight brands that leaked the chemicals, in order of increasing contamination, are: OBH Nordica Kitchen, Russel Hobbs, Coline, OBH Nordica Kitchen Quickmix, Electrolux Ultramix Pro, Matsui, Braun Multiquick3, and Voltage. The brands with the least amount of leaked paraffins, in order of increasing amounts, are: Bosch, OBH NOrdica Chili, Philips Promix, and OBH Nordica Indigo. Full study details are here.
Chlorinated paraffins affect liver, kidney, and thyroid function, and are a possible carcinogen. They are used in the metal and plastic industries.
“People can be exposed to harmful substances by ingestion of food that has been mixed, which is serious, especially if it affects small children,” noted Ake Bergman, one of the researchers.
This study highlights the simple fact that we are exposed to so many toxins throughout the day, most of which we are unaware of, and almost all of which we do not know of the long-term safety effects. Our health is on the line, and yet the regulations surrounding chemical safety testing remain stuck in the mid-20th century.
Which hand blenders are the ones that leak? The link feeds into the Swedish study, but the web page is not in English. Kitchen Aid, Bosch, Cusinart, Bamix, and many other companies make hand blenders. And many professional chefs depend on these tools daily in eating establishments around the world. It’s not right to incriminate an entire class of kitchen tools without giving your readers a chance to read the study for ourselves. If you’re going to quote a study from a university, please include some of the facts and conclusions from the study, or provide a link to the English version of the study so we may also read the findings and agree with your conclusions. Providing the brands that were found to be the culprits would greatly assist me in the decision to throw out my hand blender, or buy one that doesn’t contaminate my food.
You can click on “English” at the top right of that website, and get the translation.
http://www.su.se/english/about/news-and-events/press/press-releases/updated-with-report-hand-blenders-used-for-cooking-can-emit-persistent-chemicals-1.207590
My apologies, Dude. I didn’t mean to mislead you. I have updated the information above, corrected the link, and added an additional link the full study itself, which is complete with names and pictures of the hand blenders (see appendices 1 and 2). Bosch was the best mixer of the 12, but the other mixers from your list were not tested in this study. My guess is that consumers will be bringing the results of this study to other manufacturers’ attention, and more testing will be done as a result. Thank you for your interest and for bringing this to my attention.
And liz, thanks so much for that link!
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