Swiss researchers analyzed 119 products from a supermarket, and revealed that the majority of recycled cereal boxes leach mineral oils found in newspaper ink into the cereal, pasta, and rice contained inside – even passing through protective inner plastic bags, reports the Daily Mail.
Dr Koni Grob, of the Food Safety Laboratory in Zurich, said that about 30 items out of 119 avoided contamination with a double or thicker plastic bag – all other foods exceeded the limits by ten times the acceptable amount. And the longer they sat on the shelf, the more they would exceed recommended levels.
Dr Grob emphasized that although toxicologists had linked the oils to inflammation of internal organs and even cancer, individual meals would contain only a tiny dose of the chemicals.
In the meantime, many cereal companies have stopped using recycled cardboard, and are working on developing an environmentally-friendly packaging with less mineral oil.