Cryolite:

Yet another “officially approved” way that toxic fluoride can enter our bodies.

Cryolite is a fluoride-containing mineral that EPA permits to be used as a pesticide on 32 food products in the U.S.  Cryolite leaves a toxic fluoride residue in and on fruits and vegetables.

The Back Story

In the beginning, the only significant Cryolite mine was in Greenland where it was mined until 1987. Man-made Cryolite rapidly emerged to replace the natural mineral and now continues to meet worldwide Cryolite needs.

Technically cryolite is Na3AlF6, or Sodium Aluminum Fluoride, of the Halide group.  Synthetic cryolite is produced from fluorite.

Cryolite’s alumino-fluoride chemical structure loses fluoride ions in the presence of water.  All those fluoride ions running loose not only results in very effective pesticide activity, but also leaves a toxic fluoride residue in our food supply.

Cryolite has several other commercial uses. For hundreds of years this mineral was used as a flux in the smelting of ores, especially aluminum.

It’s also used as a pesticide applied in powder or liquid form, from ground or aerial applications, protecting crops from insects.  The most common uses of Cryolite are on California grapes, potatoes and citrus.

According to EPA regulation, the fruits and vegetables that Cryolite may be used on include:

Apricots; Beets, roots; Blackberries; Blueberries (huckleberries); Boysenberries; Broccoli; Brussels sprouts; Cabbage; Cauliflower; Citrus fruits; Collards; Cranberries; Cucumbers; Dewberries; Eggplant; Grapes; Kale; Kohlrabi; Lettuce; Loganberries; Melons; Nectarines; Peaches; Peppers; Plums (fresh prunes); Pumpkins; Radish, roots; Raspberries; Rutabaga, roots; Squash (winter); Squash (summer); Strawberries; Tomatoes; Turnip, roots; Youngberries.*

California Wines – an especially toxic case

California wines and grape juice are notoriously high in fluoride because it’s the pesticide of choice on California grapes. This typically results in fluoride residues that range from 3-9 mg per liter.

In fact, California wines are so high in fluoride that the European Union has refused to allow their importation, placing a 3 ppm fluoride limit on imported wines.  Recently the EC further lowered the level to 1 ppm.

To illustrate, let’s consider relaxing with a 6oz. glass of California wine (175 ml) containing 3-9 ppm fluoride.   That ONE little glass of wine delivers as much fluoride as 4 – 13 liters of your typical municipal fluoridated water!

Conversely, 3 – 9 ppm fluoride per 6oz. glass of wine equates to a fluoride concentration that is 24 to 73 times higher than allowed in U.S. municipal water! OMG!

Up to 7ppm on fruits and vegetables

Currently (2011) the EPA allows levels (tolerances) of up to 7 ppm fluoride residue (from Cryolite) in or on fruits and vegetables.

But for some reason the EPA (yes that same EPA charged with protecting us) continues to propose that the fluoride tolerance from Cryolite on some of these produce items be increased as noted in the chart below.

EPA’s new March 2011 proposal for Cryolite residues on foods:

Also note: Permissible levels of fluoride residue in potato waste is presently 22 ppm.  Potato waste is a processed animal feed commodity – that recycles fluoride directly into cattle, pigs and chickens, much of which deposits in their bones . . . which we often use for making our delicious soup broths.

To date I have not been able to find statistics on the fluoride content of various home-made or canned bone broths.

Now back to the EPA chart:  The current recommended amount of fluoride to be added to municipal water is 0.7 ppm (0.7 mg per liter of water).  Notice how that compares to the numbers in the above chart.  (Please let me know if you figure out how much fluoride we may be consuming in one day’s worth of healthy fruits and vegetables.)

What is it doing to you?

As an insecticide, the main way Cryolite kills bugs is as a stomach poison.

That’s what it does to bugs but what about to humans?  To us, the primary documented effects consist of anemia, neurological problems , skin rashes, bone issues, and stomach and intestinal problems. (***, ****)

This makes me ponder the many hundreds of people that I’ve interviewed over the years suffering with unexplained stomach, intestinal and/or digestive issues:  Everything from chronic indigestion, chronic intestinal problems, irritable bowel syndrome, gastric ulcers, spastic colon, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and even Crohn’s disease.  A person has to ask oneself: “how much of this suffering has been caused by the fluoride residue on our foods?”

Over the last 20 years in my work as a medical social worker, I’ve watched these health problems become MUCH more prevalent.  Digestive problems of all sorts have become so common that people have come to accept them as a normal part of human life.  Hmmm . . .

At this point it is not clear whether fluoride residues are permissible on organic foods, though there are strong believers on both sides of the issue.  For now, I’m hoping that organic foods can NOT be treated with Cryolite.

Personally, I’m still hoping for a degree of protection from fluoride toxicity by eating ORGANIC!!

 

References:

*CFR 180.145

**Memo dated 3/16/2011 from C.L Olinger, Risk Assessor. Cryolite. Human Health Assessment Scoping Document in Support of Registration Review.

***032 070618 “Cryolite: Stomach Irritation Associated With Hydrogen Fluoride Formation,” (Summary of scientific studies by Pennwalt). (www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/risk/toxsums/pdfs/173.pdf)

****http://www.fluoridealert.org/pesticides/effects.stomach.f.pesticide.htm

Comments (transferred from post):

I have a concern about organic reconstituted juices, such as Cascadia. I called and they said that one of their plants uses fluoridated water. Apparently it is legal to reconstitute organic fruit concentrate with fluoridated water.

Another concern is imported Mexican organic fruits and vegetables. I have read that it all gets sprayed. Is it sulfanyl fluoride or the new bromide concoctions?

What’s wrong with a few bugs?

 

One Response to “Cryolite:”

1. Danny shell says:

   October 8, 2012 at 3:54 pm

   doesn’t matter any more we all know whatever you eat or drink will kill you if something else doesn’t