“A new food scandal“. “Forbidden Zone” reveals, this Sunday January 26, 2025 from 9:10 p.m. on M6, how cadmium, a “poison invisible“, present in everyday products such as bread, fruits and vegetables, threatens the health of consumers, and in particular that of the French.”We were initially interested in the problem of soil pollution by heavy metals.“, rewinds to Puremédias Aurore Belser, editor-in-chief of the magazine presented by Ophélie Meunier. “One of them, cadmium, caught our attention. Going back up the thread, we understood that it appeared in phosphate fertilizers at the origin of wheat-based products such as potatoes and certain vegetables.“.
One in two adults and one in five children affected
The omnipresence in our plate of this heavy metal, the effects of which on health have been identified, is “little known to the general public“. “And even within the medical profession, some professionals have no idea of the existence of cadmium in our food“, notes Aurore Belser. There is therefore an urgent need to alert, especially since the French are among the most contaminated.
“We explain in the subject that French farmers massively use phosphate fertilizers purchased from manufacturers who source their supplies from Morocco. (privileged contact due to the absence of customs duties between the two countries, editor’s note). The leaders of French fertilizer manufacturers that we contacted did not wish to respond. However, the level of cadmium is higher in Moroccan soil than in other phosphate-supplying countries. This partly explains why the French population is more affected. Not to mention that cadmium is present in the bread that the French consume en masse.“, notes the editor-in-chief of “Forbidden Zone”, who carried out an analysis on 41 varieties of bread. Purchased in different regions of France, all contain traces of cadmium.
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As a result, according to official data, one in two adults and nearly one in five children have excessively high levels of cadmium in their body and are at risk of certain cancers or diseases affecting the kidneys or bones. “ANSES (National Health Safety Agency) has recommended lowering the grammage rate of cadmium in phosphate fertilizers. However, for the moment, this recommendation has not been followed by the French State. We contacted the ministries on this subject but did not receive any feedback. We therefore hope that this investigation will move the lines, that there will be measures or reactions from those responsible for these issues. It is the mission of ‘Forbidden Zone’ to challenge and raise awareness on major issues which here concern public health“, concludes Aurore Belser who finally promises “to bring keys to viewers” to help them block cadmium.
-“‘Forbidden Zone’ addresses issues through the prism of humanity”
With this investigation, “Forbidden Zone” confirms its wide range of subjects. Two weeks ago, the magazine offered a special “war of the neighbors”, which seems very far removed from the issues of the investigation broadcast this evening. “All our shows have one thing in common“, considers Aurore Belser. “Whatever the subject, we approach the issues through the human prism. This is the DNA of ‘Forbidden Zone’.”
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“Once this framework is established, we can explore different typologies of subjects, subjects of investigation and revelation at the rate of two to three per year (an investigation is to come on the management of psychiatry in France, editor’s note)subjects which relate more to major social themes and more inspiring subjects which address modern-day concerns. I am thinking in particular of the one entitled ‘Work, renovation, decoration, a new home without moving’ in which we try to cope with the rise in real estate prices and the surge in interest rates.
