Heavy Metals Found in Wine.

[Darryl Shaw]

Red and white wines from most European nations carry potentially dangerous doses of at least seven heavy metals, U.K. researchers find.

A single glass of even the most contaminated wine isn't poisonous. But drinking just one glass of wine a day -- a common habit in Europe and the Americas -- might be very hazardous indeed, calculate biomolecular scientist Declan P. Naughton, PhD, and Andrea Petroczi of Kingston University, London.

Naughton calculated "target hazard quotients" (THQs) for wines from 15 countries in Europe, South America, and the Middle East. The measure was designed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to determine safe levels of frequent, long- term exposure to various chemicals.

A THQ over 1 indicates a health risk. Typical wines, Naughton found, have a THQ ranging from 50 to 200 per glass. Some wines had THQs up to 300. By comparison, THQs that have raised concerns about heavy-metal contamination of seafood typically range between 1 and 5.

"I was surprised at this finding, and would be very interested if regulatory authorities and food-safety people will look at this," Naughton tells WebMD. "The wine industry should look at ways to remove these metals from wine, or to find out where the metals come from and prevent this from happening."

http://www.webmd.com/news/20081029/h...-found-in-wine

http://www.journal.chemistrycentral.com/content/2/1/22

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2008/10Octobe...alsinwine.aspx

[Blair Lowe]

Thanks, Daryl. I'm not fond of wine or a wine drinker but I'm sure it will interest some of my dad's friends who are or my friends who are health conscious and drink wine.

[Mike ODonnell]

So where are these metals coming from....the wine making process or the grapes? By that deduction grapes have heavy metals as well. Either way....sticking to Guinness.

[Tony Ferous]

Interesting...hadnt heard that. Australian wines arent on the list so ill continue to drink with impunity!!

[Garrett Smith]

This is interesting, as I've had similar reactions to sushi and wine. Through a process of elimination, I came to the conclusion that my reaction to the sushi was due to heavy metals in the fish.

I originally thought it was the sulfites in wine (which I don't react well to), but now I have another idea of why I still seem to react to the organic red wines.

Well, at least I used to react, when I had wine pre-baby...

[R. Alan Hester]

Nooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!

Do you think it has something to do with the wars?