Excessive consumption of phosphate is damaging to health. Therefore, food that contains phosphate additives should be labeled, as recommended by Eberhard Ritz and coauthors in their article in the current issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International [Dtsch Arztebl Int.]
Phosphate additives are present in many types of fast food, which are eaten mainly by persons of lower socioeconomic status. It seems likely that excessive phosphate consumption is linked to the increased prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in the general population.
The authors conclude that physicians and the public need to be educated about the role of phosphate additives as a risk factor for disease.
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Journal Reference:
- Ritz, E; Hahn, K; Ketteler, M; Kuhlmann, M K; Mann, J. Phosphate Additives in Food—a Health Risk. Dtsch Arztebl Int, 2012; 109(4): 49-55 DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2012.0049