Mommies, I’m sure you’ve heard about health warning issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on imported fruit juice, soft drinks, sport drinks and jellies due to contamination.

The imported beverages, which have yet to be named by Taiwanese FDA, were said to contain an ingredient not fit for human consumption. Instead of palm oil, the product is mixed with dangerous chemical being used to manufacture plastic.

This is scary for us consumers, especially for us mommies, right? Kids just love to drink instant and colorful fruit juices.  I couldn’t bear the thought that I (unknowingly) could have exposed my kids to contaminated products, which are supposed to pass rigorous food-safety standards .

Widely used as a plasticizer in the manufacturing of articles such as intravenous bags and tubings, blood bags and infusion tubings and nasogastric tubes, DEHP was found to be illegally added to a food product raw material intended for emulsification. While low doses of DEHP are generally safe, high doses or prolonged exposure can have harmful effects. Children are especially prone to the harmful effects of high doses of DEHP or to repeated exposure which can lead to testicular effects, fertility problems and toxicity to kidneys. – Department of Health explains chemical found in Taiwan juices and jellies.

Even if my family is protected by a high risk life insurance, this doesn’t mean I can sit and relax here without doing anything about this scary news. As consumers, we should be vigilant about the food that we purchase from the market. Update ourselves with the latest news that concerns food safety. Regularly check out for products that carry labels that might have been banned or removed from market shelves.