TK spinach loaded with cadmium and nitrates

Ökotest: Almost half of the spinach varieties from the supermarket loaded with cadmium and nitrates

01/25/2014

In principle, spinach is healthy. But the food industry is doing everything to destroy even the healthiest food. A test by Ökotest's consumer advocates revealed that around 50 percent of the conventional spinach varieties from the frozen foods department are contaminated with pollutants. The chain Edeka has already responded and taken a spinach own product from the sale, because the load limit was exceeded significantly.

„Spinach is a recommended vegetable that contains many valuable nutrients such as magnesium, iron, calcium, vitamin E and provitamin A.“, the food experts write. „In the leaves of green vegetables, however, rapidly damaging substances such as nitrites and cadmium can accumulate“. In particular, cadmium can lead to kidney and bone damage in certain quantities. The pollutant is also so dangerous because it is degraded by the human organism only very slowly and therefore accumulates for a long time. This means that even if the prescribed values ​​are not exceeded, a potentiation takes place over time.

Especially conventionally grown spinach varieties polluted
As reported by Ökotest, it has even been proven in the laboratory test that, for example, in a sample of the variety „Edeka leaf spinach selected spinach variety“ a high load of cadmium was included. „The maximum allowed quantity was exceeded twice“, as the testers report. The supermarket chain Edeka acted immediately after notification and removed the affected batch from the trade.

Other products were also heavily burdened. Ökotest therefore had to make devaluations. In 'Flanders Best Leaf Spinach' very high nitrite levels were determined. According to Ökotest, these values ​​can be caused by lack of hygiene or too long storage of the spinach before the frost. The pollutant releases dangerous nitrosamines in the body, which can hinder oxygen transport in the blood in infants. Also insufficient was the product „Real Quality leaf spinach“. According to the investigator were „strongly increased nitrate and cadmium levels measured“. In addition to conventional spinach varieties, organic products were also tested. While all organic leaf spinachs performed well or very well, in the „Organic Sun Young organic leaf spinach“ found by Norma Perchlorate. In addition, there was also an increased nitrate value. The chemical can interfere with the absorption of iodine in the thyroid gland. The European Union (EU) has set a reference value for this chemical, which initially only applies until legal regulations have been created.

Organic products did very well
It can be ascertained, however, that the organic spinach usually performs significantly better than the conventionally grown one. The latter were much more frequently burdened with substances of health concern. At least four organic spinach were the top grades „Very well“ to reach. These had no elevated nitrate levels and contained only traces of cadmium that could not be avoided due to the general environmental impact. The test winner: „Biotrend organic leaf spinach“ from Lidl and „Good organic leaf spinach“ by Aldi Nord were not only hardly charged but also in the price quite cheap (0.48 euros per 200 grams). As well, but a bit more expensive was the „Alnatura leaf spinach“ with 0.80 cents per 200 grams. A very good could also the „Denree spinach, chopped“ to reach. This cost the test 62 cents per 200 grams.

Important for preparation
When preparing spinach, some important points should be noted. It is best not to cook the frozen spinach in a little water. In order to avoid the formation of nitrites, the spinach should not be kept warm for a long time. Remains left over, they can be placed cold in the refrigerator. Warmed spinach should still be taboo for children under the age of three. The conclusion of the testers: Spinach is and remains a healthy food. However, consumers should prefer to use organic spinach to minimize the risk of harmful substances. (Sb)