Department of Biology and Medical Sciences Program, Indiana University, Jordan Hall, 142, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
Med Hypotheses. 2009 Dec;73(6):948-9. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2009.06.030. Epub 2009 Jul 23.
The great majority of US adults are iron replete; indeed, some are burdened with an excessive amount of the metal. Nevertheless, iron continues to be added by food processors to such items as flour, other grains and ready-to-eat cereals. In some cases, actual added quantities exceed the labeled amounts. Iron is a dangerous pro-oxidant as well as a mutagen and carcinogen. The metal is a serious risk factor for a variety of cardiovascular, endocrine, infectious, neoplasmic, neurodegenerative, orthopedic and respiratory diseases. For many of the conditions, iron can be a sole initiator or a cofactor in promoting the disease. For others, iron deposits are found in relevant tissue sites. For numerous additional diseases, iron is associated with elevated disease incidence. Accordingly, critical evaluation of the indiscriminate practice of adding the metal to processed foods is overdue.
绝大多数美国成年人的铁元素摄入量都很充足；实际上，有些人的体内铁元素含量过高。尽管如此，食品加工商仍在向面粉、其他谷物和即食谷物等食品中添加铁元素。在某些情况下，实际添加的铁含量超过了标签上的含量。铁是一种危险的促氧化剂，也是一种诱变剂和致癌物质。这种金属是多种心血管、内分泌、传染病、肿瘤、神经退行性、骨科和呼吸道疾病的严重危险因素。对于许多疾病来说，铁元素可以作为单一的启动因素或促进疾病发展的协同因素。对于其他疾病来说，铁元素会在相关组织部位沉积。此外，还有许多其他疾病与铁元素含量升高有关。因此，对在加工食品中不加区分地添加铁元素这一做法进行批判性评估已经是刻不容缓了。
